Earthquake of 6.8 magnitude strikes western China: USGS
BEIJING (Reuters) – An earthquake of 6.8 magnitude struck China’s far western region of Xinjiang on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, but in a very remote and sparsely populated area.
Bulgarian government survives third no-confidence vote
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria’s Socialist-led coalition survived its third no-confidence vote on Wednesday, a motion that underscored a persistent threat to a government hobbled by street protests and political squabbles since taking office last year.
European press chief to UK: Ease up on Guardian over Snowden leaks
LONDON (Reuters) – Europe’s main media freedom watchdog told Britain on Wednesday it believed political pressure applied to the Guardian newspaper over its handling of leaked intelligence data could have a “chilling effect” on independent journalism.
China criticizes Japan’s move to seek compensation over 2010 ship collision
BEIJING (Reuters) – China expressed anger on Wednesday over Japan’s plan to seek compensation from the captain of a Chinese trawler that collided with a Japanese coastguard vessel in 2010 to spark a diplomatic crisis.
Russia says will veto Syria aid resolution in current form
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday it would veto a U.N. resolution on humanitarian aid access in Syria in its current form, denouncing the draft as an effort to lay a foundation for military strikes against President Bashar al-Assad’s governme…
China to crack down on fake data ‘corruption’: statistics chief
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will step up efforts to investigate and punish any cases of falsified statistics, the country’s chief statistician said in remarks published on Wednesday, highlighting the issue of reliability of Chinese data.
Britain to tell Scotland: leave the UK and lose the pound, reports
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is likely to warn Scots that they cannot have a currency union with the rest of the United Kingdom if they vote for independence in a September referendum, local media reported, citing unidentified government sources.
Gunmen kill nine at Pakistani policeman’s home as peace talks proceed
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Gunmen tossed hand grenades into the house of a slain Pakistani police officer on Wednesday, police said, killing nine men in an attack coinciding with peace talks between the government and Pakistan Taliban militants.
Syria peace talks make little progress, says envoy
GENEVA (Reuters) – Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition are not making much progress, the international mediator said on Tuesday after a face-to-face meeting of the warring parties in Geneva that both sides called fruitless.
Insight: In Ukraine standoff, echoes of U.S.-Russia Cold War tensions
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Ukraine last July, U.S. diplomats got a private recap of the message he delivered behind closed doors to the country’s leaders. Ukraine, Putin warned, would not be allowed to stray f…
