British anti-slavery chief enlists Vatican in global pact to end slavery
VATICAN CITY (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Britain’s anti-slavery commissioner received the backing of the Catholic Church on Saturday for a campaign to push for a global pact vowing to eradicate slavery in the next 15 years.
Protesters scuffle with men outside China-Taiwan meeting
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Protesters calling for Taiwan not to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank clashed with unidentified men in black T-shirts outside a meeting of officials from the two administrations on a Taiwanese island on Saturda…
Egyptian court acquits 17 charged for protest at which activist killed
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court on Saturday acquitted 17 people of violating a strict protest law earlier this year at a march commemorating a 2011 uprising, judicial sources said, a rare decision since Egypt introduced the statute in late 2013.
Dispute over Mideast nuclear arms ban torpedoes U.N. conference
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A month-long review conference on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ended in failure on Friday after its members were unable to overcome disagreements on an atomic weapons ban for the Middle East, which the United States b…
Germany declines comment on reported ‘deep freeze’ with U.S. intelligence
BERLIN (Reuters) – The German government declined to comment on a report that U.S. intelligence agencies were reviewing their cooperation with German counterparts and had dropped joint projects due to concerns secret information was being leaked by law…
Five Tunisian migrants die in shipwreck
TUNIS (Reuters) – At least five Tunisian migrants died on Saturday when their boat sailing to Italy capsized off the Tunisian coast, officials said.
Islamic State raises flag over citadel in Syria’s Palmyra: supporters
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State fighters have raised their flag over an ancient citadel in Syria’s historic city of Palmyra, pictures posted online overnight by the group’s supporters showed.
China and Peru agree to study transcontinental rail link
BEIJING (Reuters) – China and Peru have agreed to study the feasibility of a controversial 5,300 km (3,300 miles) transcontinental railroad that will connect Peru’s Pacific coast with Brazil’s Atlantic coast, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reporte…
Dispute over Mideast nuclear arms ban torpedoes U.N. conference
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A month-long review conference on the 1970 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ended in failure on Friday after its members were unable to overcome disagreements on an atomic weapons ban for the Middle East.
U.N. investigates reports of executions, abuses in Mali
BAMAKO (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Friday it was investigating reports of serious human rights abuses, including the execution of civilians, in northern Mali following clashes this week between northern Tuareg separatist rebels and pro-gover…
