Pope set to name cardinals to reflect his vision of the Church
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis is set to make the most important decisions of his young papacy in the next few weeks by naming new cardinals – the “princes of the Church” who will help him set its future course and one day elect his successor fr…
Thai anti-government protesters march to support Bangkok “shutdown”
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Protesters trying to topple Thailand’s prime minister marched in Bangkok on Tuesday to drum up support for their plans to bring the capital to a halt next week by blockading major roads and preventing the government from functioning…
Nigeria parties trade blame over court blast in oil city
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigeria’s two main political parties traded blame on Tuesday over a small bomb blast at a court in oil-producing Rivers state a day earlier, a signal of the growing risk of violence ahead of elections next year.
Police detain Chinese activists ahead of newspaper protest
GUANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – Chinese authorities have detained some activists in the southern city of Guangzhou to try to derail a protest planned for Tuesday to commemorate a strike by reporters at an outspoken newspaper, several activists said.
Thai anti-corruption body charges members of PM’s party
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s National Counter-Corruption Commission is to press charges against 308 politicians, most from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s Puea Thai Party, for trying to change the constitution to make the Senate a fully elected …
Russia tightens security in Sochi before Olympics
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian forces went on combat alert in Sochi and tightened restrictions on access to the Black Sea resort on Tuesday as part of measures by President Vladimir Putin to ensure security at next month’s Winter Olympics.
China-Japan ‘Voldemort’ attacks up ante in propaganda war
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese state media warned Japan on Tuesday of an escalation in the war of public opinion after both countries compared each other to Lord Voldemort, the villain in the Harry Potter stories, in a tit-for-tat diplomatic spat.
Spain’s Princess Cristina charged with tax fraud, money-laundering
MADRID (Reuters) – A Spanish judge charged Princess Cristina – younger daughter of King Juan Carlos – with tax fraud and money laundering, possibly paving the way to an unprecedented trial of a member of the royal family, the Superior Justice Tribunal …
Convicted Greek militant on loose after breaking parole
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police are searching for a convicted member of dismantled extremist group November 17 who failed to report to the authorities during prison leave over New Year, police officials said on Tuesday.
Cambodian garment workers return to work after deadly clashes
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of garment workers have returned to work in Cambodia, ending a two-week pay dispute after authorities used deadly force to quell a strike and thwart a protest by their political allies seeking a re-run of a July…