New Sri Lanka government calls for Rajapaksa ‘conspiracy’ probe
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new government on Wednesday asked the police to investigate what it called a “diabolical conspiracy” by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to hold on to power even after he was defeated in an election last week.
Pope emphasizes post-war healing in Sri Lanka with rare Buddhist visit
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) – Pope Francis paid a surprise visit to a Buddhist temple on Wednesday, capping a trip to Sri Lanka where he told huge crowds that religions must unite to heal the country’s war wounds.
EU executive push against red tape divides parliament
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU lawmakers have failed to agree a united stance against the European Commission’s plans to scrap some environment policy, marking a victory for the executive’s push for less regulation.
Chile to reform voting system, increase women in Congress
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile looks set to make major changes to its electoral system so it will better represent voters’ wishes and ensure more women participate in politics, an issue close to the heart of center-left President Michelle Bachelet.
China arrests 10 Turks who may have helped terror suspects: Global Times
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Police in Shanghai have arrested 10 Turkish nationals suspected of supplying fake passports to ethnic Uighurs from China’s far-western region of Xinjiang who were described as terrorist suspects by state media.
South Korea arrests woman for making pro-North comments
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean authorities arrested a former member of a leftist political party on Wednesday for breaking a state security law by making favorable comments about the North, the same law under which a Korean-American woman was deported …
U.N. Libya meeting makes faltering start, seeks unity government
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N.-sponsored talks in Geneva between rival Libyan factions aim to reach agreement to form a unity government, the United Nations envoy for Libya said on Wednesday, as he tried to launch talks which only one side to the conflict has…
Algeria arrests militant cell on southern border
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s army has arrested a cell of twelve militants in the south where they were planning an attack with the support of “terrorists based outside its southern borders”, the ministry of defense said on Wednesday.
Greek anti-bailout party Syriza cements lead before vote
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s radical leftist Syriza party holds a steady 3.5 point lead over the ruling conservatives ahead of a snap election on Jan. 25, according to an opinion poll published on Wednesday.
Syrian opposition will lose out if boycotts Moscow talks, Russia says
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday Syrian opposition representatives would risk losing influence in peace efforts if they do not attend planned talks in Moscow.
