Mid-sized quake hits off central Chile coast; no damage reported
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – A shallow 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of central Chile on Wednesday, rattling buildings in the capital, Santiago, but not causing any damage.
Lebanese presidential vote delayed as deputies boycott vote
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese politicians abandoned their second attempt to elect a new president on Wednesday after dozens of deputies boycotted a parliamentary vote to choose a successor to President Michel Suleiman.
China to conduct naval drills with Russia in East China Sea
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Wednesday it would conduct joint naval drills with Russia in the East China Sea off Shanghai in late May, in what it called a bid to deepen military cooperation.
EU peacekeepers take charge at Central African Republic airport
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union peacekeepers took charge of security at Central African Republic’s main airport on Wednesday, easing the burden on French and African troops who are struggling to contain months of sectarian slaughter in the country….
Modi in police trouble as India’s election nears climax
AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) – Police opened an investigation against Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, tipped to be India’s next prime minister, after he flashed his party’s symbol and made a speech in a violation of election rules after he cast his ball…
Protesters urge Nigeria to step up hunt for girls abducted by Islamists
ABUJA/MAIDUGURI (Reuters) – Dozens of protesters gathered outside Nigeria’s parliament on Wednesday called on security forces to search harder for 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist militants in the war-ravaged northeast over two weeks ago.
Six powers meet in Brussels to fine-tune Iran talks strategy
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Senior diplomats from six world powers met in Brussels on Wednesday to fine-tune negotiating strategy towards Iran with talks on its contested nuclear program entering a crunch stretch before a July 20 deadline.
Swiss let in Croat workers, seek to ease EU immigration row
ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland said on Wednesday it would let in workers from the European Union’s newest member, Croatia, in a move seen as a bid to placate the bloc following a row over Swiss immigration curbs.
Yemen says arrests cell planning to kidnap UAE diplomat
SANAA (Reuters) – Yemen said on Wednesday it had arrested a militant cell that had been planning to kidnap the United Arab Emirates’ charge d’affaires, after a string of abductions that have targeted Westerners and diplomats in the country.
Afghan government says West holds prisoners illegally in south
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan has accused British and U.S. forces of secretly holding Afghans in jail, saying one man had been held for more than two years while others had “disappeared”, further souring ties between Kabul and its Western allies at a s…
