Thailand bans surrogacy for foreigners in bid to end ‘rent-a-womb’ tourism
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s interim parliament has passed a law that bans foreigners from seeking surrogacy services to end a “rent-a-womb” industry that made the Southeast Asian country a top destination for fertility tourism.
Top China cotton producer resists reforms in restive Xinjiang
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s top cotton producer, a quasi-military body formed 60 years ago to settle the far west Xinjiang area, is resisting a government policy that could force it to cut output in an industry employing hundreds of thousands in the re…
Venezuela arrests opposition mayor accused of coup plot
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan arrested opposition leader and Caracas metropolitan mayor Antonio Ledezma on Thursday in a move the government said was needed to halt a U.S.-backed coup plot but foes decried as tyranny.
El Salvador returns criminal gang leaders to high security jail
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador’s government on Thursday returned 14 leaders of the country’s main street gangs to a maximum security prison in an attempt to curb murders of police officers after a truce between two rival criminal groups began to …
Britain says Libya needs unity government before arms embargo change
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Britain said on Thursday that Libya needed a unified government before the United Nations Security Council could change an arms embargo in order to better equip Libya’s military to combat Islamic State and other militants.
Colombia issues arrest warrants in probe of bribes paid to rebels
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s Attorney General’s office has issued five arrest warrants as part of an investigation into whether bribes were paid by Italian construction company SICIM to Marxist rebels to guarantee the security of its employees, an off…
U.S., Israeli national security advisers discuss Iran nuclear program
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice met with her Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, at the White House on Thursday for a discussion on Iran’s nuclear program, among other issues, the White House said.
Australia rules out Sweden for $39 billion submarine contract
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia will not partner with Sweden to build its next-generation submarine fleet, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday, narrowing the list of potential partners for the A$50 billion ($39 billion) program to Germany, France an…
French minister visits U.S. Internet firms about militants’ messaging
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – France’s chief internal security official is traveling to California’s Silicon Valley to discuss his government’s concerns about violent jihadist social media messaging with leading tech and Internet companies.
Turkey, U.S. sign deal to train, equip Syrian opposition, official says
ANKARA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and Turkey signed an agreement on Thursday to train and equip moderate Syrian opposition fighters, and Ankara will provide an equal number of trainers to work alongside their American military counterpart…
