Trump fires opening salvo in risky test of wills with Beijing
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump indicated a tougher U.S. approach to China by speaking to Taiwan’s president last week, but how far he will push a risky test of wills to wring concessions from Beijing on issues from trade to No…
Contenders line up to replace New Zealand’s outgoing leader
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English said on Tuesday he planned to stand for prime minister after John Key’s surprise resignation a day earlier.
French PM Valls launches presidential bid, quits government
EVRY, France (Reuters) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared on Monday that he would seek the Socialist Party’s nomination for next year’s presidential election and said he was quitting the government to focus on campaigning.
Aleppo’s fall would be win for Russia, defeat for U.S. in Mideast
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-backed moderate rebels’ loss of the eastern half of Syria’s largest city Aleppo to Russian-backed government forces would be a defeat for President Barack Obama’s efforts to promote democracy and defeat terrorism in the Midd…
Europe suffers Italian blow but bigger tests loom
BERLIN (Reuters) – The resounding “no” from Italian voters to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s referendum on constitutional reform was not a rejection of the European Union and its single currency, as jubilant populists from across the bloc claimed on Mon…
Libyan forces close to securing last Islamic State holdouts in Sirte: officials
MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan forces said on Monday they were close to securing a final patch of land where Islamic State militants have been holding out in their former North African stronghold of Sirte.
Venezuelan women flock to Colombia border town to sell hair
LA PARADA, Colombia (Reuters) – Women from crisis-hit Venezuela are crossing the border in droves and selling their hair in a Colombian border town in order to afford scarce basic necessities such as food, diapers or medicines.
Islamic State urges supporters to stage new wave of attacks
CAIRO (Reuters) – A newly identified spokesman for Islamic State urged sympathizers around the world to carry out a fresh wave of attacks, singling out Turkish diplomatic, military and financial interests as the Islamists’ preferred targets.
West Mosul shelled as Iraq steps up fight against Islamic State
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Western-backed Iraqi forces have begun shelling parts of west Mosul, residents said, in preparation for a new front against Islamic State seven weeks into a difficult campaign to drive the militants from the city.
Kerry says Iran nuclear deal has made world safer, rejecting Trump criticism
BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers last year had made the world safer, rejecting U.S. President-elect Donald Trump references to the pact as a “disaster” and “the worst deal e…
