U.N. Syria envoy says Damascus gave positive signals on local truce push
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The United Nations peace envoy to Syria said on Tuesday that Syrian officials had given him positive signals over a U.N. proposal for a local truce in the northern city of Aleppo, a main battleground in Syria’s three-year-old war.
Shouting match, whistles halt debate on sacking Somali PM
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A debate on whether to sack Somalia’s Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed descended into chaos on Tuesday as his supporters blew whistles and shouted out slogans, forcing the parliamentary speaker to halt the session.
Lacking breakthrough, sides weigh next moves in Iran nuclear drama
MUSCAT/BEIJING (Reuters) – Senior officials from Western powers and Iran started a one-day round of talks in Muscat on Tuesday, with a deadline for reaching a nuclear deal less than two weeks away and no imminent breakthrough in sight.
Top EU court rules against ‘welfare tourists’, boost for UK campaign
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union countries can block jobless immigrants from receiving welfare benefits, Europe’s top court said on Tuesday, in a ruling likely to aid British Prime Minister David Cameron’s efforts to tackle so-called ‘welfare touris…
Xi urges faster APEC talks on China-backed free trade area
BEIJING (Reuters) – The global economic recovery is unstable and nations in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) bloc should speed up free trade talks to spur growth, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.
China unveils sophisticated stealth fighter aircraft
ZHUHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – China unveiled a sophisticated new stealth fighter jet at an air show on Tuesday, a show of muscle during a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama for an Asia-Pacific summit.
EU to discuss Russia sanctions, Ukraine support next week: Mogherini
BERLIN (Reuters) – European Union foreign ministers will discuss whether to increase sanctions on Russia and how to help Ukraine when they meet in Brussels next week, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday.
Indonesia shakes up corruption-tainted energy ministry
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s new energy minister on Tuesday launched a major shakeup of the graft-tainted ministry, requiring all top directors to re-apply for their jobs.
Momentum builds for Japan PM to call early election
TOKYO (Reuters) – Officials from Japan’s ruling coalition urged lawmakers on Tuesday to prepare for a possible early election, and a government source said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to delay a tax hike that could derail a promised economic r…
Obama and Putin are odd couple at Beijing summit
BEIJING (Reuters) – A few brief encounters between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin during an Asia-Pacific summit in China on Tuesday spoke volumes about the chilly state of relations between the United States and Russia.
