Contest to lead Britain’s defeated Labour Party widens
LONDON (Reuters) – The contest to lead Britain’s defeated opposition Labour Party widened on Thursday after two senior lawmakers added their names to the slate of contenders following the party’s decisive drubbing in a national election last week.
Baltic military chiefs to call for permanent NATO presence
VILNIUS (Reuters) – Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will seek a permanent presence of NATO troops on their territory to counter increased Russian air and naval activity, the Lithuanian army said on Thursday.
West pushes Macedonian government, opposition towards crisis talks
SKOPJE (Reuters) – Western diplomats pressed the leaders of Macedonia’s four main parties to meet on Thursday for talks to resolve a deep political crisis that has raised fears of instability in the ex-Yugoslav republic.
Papua New Guinea shocked by Australian diplomatic move
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Papua New Guinea’s prime minister on Thursday said he was shocked by an announcement from former colonial ruler Australia that it might open a diplomatic mission in the restive island of Bougainville, where a referendum on independen…
Send boatpeople back home, says Malaysia amid growing crisis at sea
KUALA LUMPUR/BANGKOK (Reuters) – Malaysia said on Thursday it would push boats full of migrants back to sea, a policy that has drawn criticism from the U.N. refugee agency as thousands remained adrift in Southeast Asian waters.
U.S. Kerry to take tough approach in China over South China Sea
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will leave China “in absolutely no doubt” about Washington’s commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and flight in the South China Sea when he visits Beijing this weekend, a senior State De…
Vatican agrees first treaty with State of Palestine, solidifying relationship
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognises the State of Palestine, a move that gives legal weight to the Holy See’s years-long recognition and that drew fast criticism from supporters of Israel.
Syrian opposition armed groups reject U.N. invitation
GENEVA (Reuters) – Syrian armed groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have rejected an invitation to U.N. consultations in Geneva, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday, dealing an blow to hopes of reviving talks to end the conflict….
Exclusive: Czechs stopped potential nuclear tech purchase by Iran – sources
UNITED NATIONS/PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic blocked an attempted purchase by Iran this year of a large shipment of sensitive technology useable for nuclear enrichment after false documentation raised suspicions, U.N. experts and Western source…
Obama meets two Saudi princes after King sent regrets
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday discussed U.S. efforts to forge an international nuclear deal with Iran during talks with Saudi leaders and went out of his way to play down the absence of Saudi King Salman from a summit likel…
