Kerry: U.S. must pursue Iran talks before considering going to war
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has an obligation to pursue nuclear negotiations with Iran before it considers going to war with Tehran to force it to give up its nuclear activities, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.
Germany advises against travel to all of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it strongly advised against travel to all regions of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Kerry opens door to extended talks for Israeli-Palestinian deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged on Wednesday he hopes at best to get Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a “framework” for a peace agreement by April 29, but that a final deal could take another nine months or…
Pope, U.N. urge calm and dialogue amid Venezuela unrest
CARACAS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Pope Francis called on Wednesday for an end to violence in Venezuela that has killed at least 13 people and urged politicians to take the lead in calming the nation’s worst unrest in a decade.
NATO chief still hopes to salvage new Afghan mission
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO’s chief said on Wednesday he still hoped plans to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond this year could be salvaged despite objections by President Hamid Karzai that have called the mission into question.
Ukraine draws Obama into Putin’s long game
(Reuters) – Days after his ally Viktor Yanukovich was ousted as Ukraine’s leader, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 150,000 troop Russian military exercise on Ukraine’s border. The fall of Yanukovich – and Putin’s potential response to it – ha…
U.N. Security Council urged to consider Guinea Bissau sanctions
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. special representative to Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday urged the Security Council to consider imposing sanctions against anyone who attempts to undermine the country’s forthcoming general election.
Two humanitarian workers injured in landmine explosion in Mali
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Two employees of humanitarian group Medecins du Monde’s Belgian chapter were seriously injured on Wednesday when the vehicle they were travelling in hit a landmine in restive northern Mali, the organization and a local official said….
U.N. authorizes sanctions regime for Yemen, leaves blacklist blank
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday authorized sanctions against anyone in Yemen who obstructs the country’s political transition or commits human rights violations but stopped short of blacklisting any specific individual…
Italy’s 5-Star expels four senators as internal dissent grows
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement on Wednesday kicked out four senators for criticizing its leader Beppe Grillo, in the latest sign of growing internal strife in the party that took a quarter of votes at last year’s election.
