France’s National Front founder Le Pen rebuffs daughter’s call to quit
PARIS (Reuters) – French National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen rejected on Friday a call from his daughter, the party’s leader, to leave politics over comments he made that she fears will hurt her push to widen the right-wing party’s appeal.
U.S., Cuba hold highest-level meeting in more than 50 years
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – The U.S. and Cuban foreign ministers sat down for talks on Thursday night in the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the early days of the Cuban revolution more than half a century ago.
China mounts detailed defense of South China Sea reclamation
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Thursday sketched out plans for the islands it is creating in the disputed South China Sea, saying they would be used for military defense as well as to provide civilian services that would benefit other countries.
Iran’s leader says Saudi air strikes causing genocide
ADEN (Reuters) – Iran’s leader on Thursday condemned as genocide the military intervention by its main regional rival Saudi Arabia in Yemen, escalating Tehran’s rhetoric against the two-week-old air strike campaign.
Lebanese security forces kill militant in north
TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) – An Islamist militant with ties to the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front was killed in a shoot out with Lebanese security forces in the northern city of Tripoli, security sources said.
Ghana oil refinery breakdown a symbol of economic woes
ACCRA (Reuters) – When it opened in 1963, Ghana’s oil refinery symbolized pride and hope for the first African country to escape colonial rule. Now the plant stands idle in a sign of the economic shadow that has crept over one of the continent’s bright…
Malaysia toughens sedition law to include online media ban, mandatory jail
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia has strengthened its controversial sedition law, imposing a minimum jail term of three years and allowing the government to block online media deemed to be seditious, lawmakers said on Friday.
South Korea, Japan to resume security talks despite conflict over history
SEOUL (Reuters) – Senior officials of South Korea and Japan will resume security talks next week after more than five years, with the hope of normalizing dialogue despite recent diplomatic spats.
Venezuela’s president sees opportunity for better U.S. ties
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday said he saw an opportunity to improve strained ties with the United States, softening his stance toward U.S. President Barack Obama in the run-up to a hemispheric summit in Panama.
Mexico says only holding North Korea ship to comply with U.N. rules
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it is only holding a North Korean ship that ran aground in its waters last year in order to comply with United Nations rules.
