North Korea ‘demanded $10 billion in cash and food’ for summit with South
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea demanded $10 billion in cash and half a million tons of food in 2009 as a precondition of holding a summit with the South, former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak said, adding that he refused to pay anything for holdin…
Hostage in Sydney siege ‘killed by police bullet ricochet’
SYDNEY (Reuters) – One of the hostages held during a siege at an Australian cafe last month was killed by a ricochet of at least one police bullet that also injured three other hostages, an inquest into the deaths was told on Thursday.
Exclusive: New Iran U.N. envoy appointee expected to get U.S. visa – sources
UNITED NATIONS/ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s newly appointed U.N. ambassador is set to receive a U.S. visa so he can take up that key post, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday, likely removing a major strain on Tehran’s tense relations with Washington.
North Korea may be trying to restart nuclear reactor: U.S. think tank
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – North Korea may be trying to restart a nuclear reactor that can yield plutonium for atomic bombs, a U.S. security think tank said on Wednesday, citing new satellite imagery.
Rohingya refugees say traffickers in Malaysia abuse and kill
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Malaysia (Reuters) – Abul Kassim, a Rohingya asylum seeker, was snatched from his home in the northern Malaysian state of Penang on Jan. 12. The next morning, his beaten and bloodied body was found.
Snowden files show Canada spy agency runs global Internet watch: CBC
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s electronic spy agency has been intercepting and analyzing data on up to 15 million file downloads daily as part of a global surveillance program, according to a report published on Wednesday.
Owner of gun that killed Argentine prosecutor emerges from hiding
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – The man who lent an Argentine prosecutor the gun that killed him the day before he was to testify in Congress about allegations against the president emerged from hiding on Wednesday, saying the investigator feared for his fami…
Fidel Castro in good health, Brazilian visitor says
HAVANA (Reuters) – Retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in good health, appearing skinny but lucid, a Brazilian theologian who met with him told official Cuban media on Wednesday.
Two Israeli soldiers, U.N. peacekeeper killed in Israel-Hezbollah violence
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Two Israeli soldiers and a Spanish peacekeeper were killed on Wednesday in an exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel, one of the most violent clashes between the two sides since a 2006 war.
Jordan prisoner swap on hold, fate of Japanese IS hostage unclear
AMMAN (Reuters) – Jordan said on Wednesday it had received no assurance that one of its pilots captured by Islamic State insurgents was safe and that it would go ahead with a proposed prisoner swap only if he was freed.
