Ex-Guatemalan leader admits taking Taiwan bribes in U.S. court
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo on Tuesday admitted to taking $2.5 million in bribes from Taiwan in exchange for continuing to recognize the country diplomatically.
Calls to escalate Russia sanctions leave EU in a quandary
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Mocked by Moscow, the European Union needs to impose far tougher sanctions over Crimea to make President Vladimir Putin sit up and pay attention, but its ability to agree them is limited – and consensus may not be achievable at all…
Students and faculty man barricades in Venezuela university city
MERIDA, Venezuela (Reuters) – An engineering student armed with a slingshot commands a barricade. A biologist with a PhD organizes residents of a rebellious barrio. A retired economist prays for the hooded youths who guard her building.
French unions see modest turnout for anti-reform protests
PARIS (Reuters) – French unions drew tens of thousands to protests on Tuesday against President Francois Hollande’s latest economic reforms, substantially lower than other union-organized demonstrations of recent years.
Suspected Guatemalan drug trafficker extradited to U.S
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Guatemala extradited to the United States on Tuesday a suspected drug trafficker wanted for ties to Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel, U.S. officials said.
Hundreds of migrants storm Africa’s Spanish enclave
RABAT/MADRID (Reuters) – About 500 people forced their way into Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla on Tuesday, Spanish officials said, the largest number to storm the border in almost a decade as increasing naval patrols discourage entry by sea.
Former Guatemalan leader pleads guilty in U.S. court
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo pleaded guilty to a charge of money-laundering conspiracy in a federal court in New York on Tuesday.
Hamas calls Egypt blockade a ‘crime against humanity’
GAZA (Reuters) – The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday called Egypt’s curbs on movement through its crossing with the Gaza Strip a “crime against humanity”, in an unprecedented rebuke of its Arab neighbor that further frays their worsening ti…
Israel says might not carry out Palestinian prisoner release
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday it might not carry out a final stage of a Palestinian prisoner release unless he commits to prolonging peace talks beyond an April deadline for a deal.
EU defends Ashton’s meeting with Iranian human rights activists
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday defended her talks with human rights activists during a recent visit to Iran, saying meeting dissidents is a central part of her official travels.
