African states want U.N. trust fund for Boko Haram force
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – African states want the United Nations to set up a trust fund to finance a force to fight Boko Haram in Nigeria and called on the international community to supply intelligence and equipment, according to a draft U.N. resolut…
Venezuela’s Maduro says may go to U.S. to challenge Obama
CARACAS (Reuters) – Ridiculing the U.S. qualification of Venezuela as a security threat, President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday he may travel to Washington to challenge American counterpart Barack Obama.
Japan budgets over $15 million for overseas universities in soft power push
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s government has budgeted over $15 million to fund Japan studies at nine overseas universities, including Georgetown and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as part of a “soft power” push to counter the growing influence of C…
China envoy urges Japan to stick to apology script: China Daily
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China will question Japan’s commitment to peace if it adopts an ambiguous or defiant stance regarding its wartime actions, Beijing’s ambassador to Tokyo told the English-language China Daily newspaper in an interview published on F…
Haiti announces dates for presidential, legislative elections
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Haiti’s electoral council announced dates on Thursday for the Caribbean nation’s long overdue legislative and municipal elections, as well as a presidential vote later this year.
U.S. calls on China to release detained women’s rights activists
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States called on China on Thursday to immediately release five women’s rights activists, who were detained for apparently planning to demonstrate against sexual harassment on public transport.
Hungary-Russia nuclear deal hits EU hurdle
(Reuters) – Hungary’s 10 billion euro ($10.6 billion) plan to expand its Soviet-era Paks nuclear power plant in a deal with Russia has hit an objection in the European Commission that may oblige Budapest to revise the terms, EU sources said on Thursday…
Venezuela envoy sorry for joke about bullets striking opponents
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s ambassador to the Organization of American States apologized on Thursday for joking how bullets would sound going through “empty” heads of government opponents.
Local groups help parts of war-torn Syria that big aid agencies can’t reach
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Local groups outside the formal aid sector, many formed “around the kitchen table”, are helping to fill gaps in the humanitarian response in Syria, reaching communities big agencies cannot access, a leading think t…
An attack wounded three army members in Egypt’s Sinai: sources
ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) – An attack on a checkpoint with rocket-propelled grenades wounded one army officer and two other soldiers in the Egyptian city of al-Arish on Thursday, security sources said, the latest in a string of attacks in the Sinai pen…
