Russia says U.S. bill will restrict its diplomats, pledges retaliation
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday it would restrict the ability of U.S. diplomats based in Moscow to travel if a pending U.S. bill that would do the same to Russian diplomats in the United States entered into force.
Pope warns media over ‘sin’ of spreading fake news, smearing politicians
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Media that focus on scandals and spread fake news to smear politicians risk becoming like people who have a morbid fascination with excrement, Pope Francis said in an interview published on Wednesday.
German firms in Mexico brace for negative Trump impact: survey
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The vast majority of German companies operating in Mexico expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s trade policy to have a negative impact on business, though most still plan to invest in the coming year, a survey showed on Wed…
U.S. sanctions two Yemenis, charity tied to al Qaeda in Yemen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States imposed sanctions on two Yemeni men and a Yemen-based charity on Wednesday as part of its ongoing efforts to disrupt the financial and support networks of the Islamist militant group al Qaeda’s powerful Yemen br…
France says pushing Netanyahu, Abbas to meet for Paris talks
PARIS (Reuters) – France is trying to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Paris this month to try to revive moribund peace talks between the two sides, Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault s…
Italy passes 2017 budget, paving way for PM Renzi’s resignation
ROME (Reuters) – The Italian parliament on Wednesday gave its final approval to the government’s 2017 budget, which has irked the European Union, paving the way for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to hand in his resignation.
Assange releases testimony from London questioning, says he is innocent
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Wikileaks founder Julian Assange released on Wednesday his testimony from last month’s London questioning in a Swedish rape investigation, saying he was innocent and that it was clear the sex was consensual.
Cuban entrepreneurs urge Trump to keep U.S.-Cuba detente going
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More than 100 Cuban small business owners sent a letter to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday urging him to continue President Barack Obama’s engagement with Havana, despite Trump’s threat to end detente with the communist-ruled island.
Netanyahu in high stakes gamble with new settlement bill
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for a bill that would legalize Israeli settlement homes on private Palestinian land in the West Bank is seen in Israel as another feint in a power struggle within his ruling right-wing c…
U.S. wants to repair ‘bad relations’ with the Philippines: Duterte
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he felt like a saint as the incoming U.S. president wanted to repair damaged bilateral relations between the two oldest security allies in this region.
