Australian Cabinet minister resigns over unofficial China trip
(Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull accepted the resignation on Friday of a Cabinet minister who admitted he had attended a contract signing between China’s Minmetals Corp and an Australian company with which he had financial links.
Beijing offers support for Hong Kong after New Year violence
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s central government firmly supports Hong Kong authorities and police in safeguarding public order and punishing those who break the law, the foreign ministry has said in Beijing’s first reaction to a riot in Hong Kong earlier…
Venezuela top court grants Maduro economic emergency powers, opposition cries foul
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s Supreme Court approved President Nicolas Maduro’s “economic emergency” decree on Thursday, setting up a showdown after the Venezuelan Congress rejected the measure last month.
Drug cartel battle kills 49 in northeastern Mexican prison
MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) – A battle between the feared Zetas drug cartel and rivals at a prison left 49 people dead in the northeastern Mexican city of Monterrey, authorities said on Thursday, days ahead of a planned visit by Pope Francis to another…
Taiwan city looks at developer’s other buildings after quake collapse
TAINAN, Taiwan (Reuters) – When an earthquake struck the Taiwanese city of Tainan in the early hours of Saturday morning, Wu Hsiu-chi’s unit in the seven-storey Wei-guan Dragon Door World Family Building shook hard, but survived with little damage.
No plans at this time for joint U.S.-India navy patrols: State Dept.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – There are currently no plans for joint naval patrols by the United States and India, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
Uncertainty at Syria talks as Russia backs government advance
MUNICH (Reuters) – Major powers began a new round of Syria talks on Thursday focusing on calls for a ceasefire and access for aid, but the mood was dour with Moscow showing no sign of calling off its bombing in support of a massive new government advan…
South Sudan president re-appoints rival under peace deal
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has re-appointed his rival Riek Machar as vice president, a decree said on Thursday, the culmination of a deal to try to end months of civil war in the world’s newest nation.
Russia raises specter of interminable or ‘world war’ if Syria talks fail
MUNICH (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev raised the specter of an interminable or a world war if powers failed to negotiate an end to the conflict in Syria and warned against any ground operations by U.S. and Arab forces.
U.S. says has no reason to doubt North Korea army chief executed
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said on Thursday it had no reason to doubt reports that North Korea executed its army chief of staff, describing it as typical of Pyongyang’s brutal political climate.
