Two decades on, China says its Panchen Lama has won wide praise
BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, the second highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism, has won broad praise since taking up the position two decades ago in what was a great victory against separatists, a top official was quoted as sayin…
Australia, SE Asia need to ‘re-double’ efforts to avoid Paris-style attacks
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Australia and Southeast Asia must re-double efforts to share intelligence and make sure Paris-style terror attacks can’t be replicated in the region, Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan said on Wednesday.
Russia says it hit Islamic State with submarine-launched missile for first time
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday that Russia had for the first time struck Islamic State targets in Syria with missiles fired from a submarine in the Mediterranean.
Belize rejects plan to allow Cuban migrants to pass though its territory
SAN JOSE (Reuters) – Belize has rejected a plan to allow thousands of Cuban migrants stranded on the Costa Rican border with Nicaragua to pass through its territory on their way to the United States, Costa Rica’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Former senior Chinese provincial official jailed for graft
BEIJING (Reuters) – A former senior Chinese provincial official has been jailed for 15 years for corruption, state television said on Wednesday, the latest person to fall in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping campaign against deep-seated graft.
Critics of U.S. plutonium cleanup program seize on new report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Critics of a multibillion-dollar program to convert excess U.S. weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for commercial nuclear reactors under a 2000 treaty with Russia have seized on a newly disclosed report to renew calls for an end t…
U.S. sanctions North Korea’s rocket command for ties to weapons program
(Reuters) – The United States added North Korea’s Strategic Rocket Force to its sanctions list for ties to weapons development and illicit finance activities, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday.
Russia casts doubt on possible Dec. 18 Syria meeting in New York
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Russia’s U.N. envoy cast doubt on Tuesday on U.S. plans to hold a third meeting of world powers on Syria next week, saying the process to try to end the four-year civil war would be devalued if certain requirements were not m…
Canada’s Trudeau to get red carpet treatment during White House visit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will roll out the red carpet for a planned visit next year by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, hosting a formal state dinner for the new leader, the White House said on Tuesday.
Iraq at U.N. plays down dispute with Turkey over troop deployment
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday appeared to play down a dispute between Baghdad and Ankara over the deployment of Turkish troops in northern Iraq, saying bilateral talks between the neighboring states to en…
