China to start regular patrols from island in South China Sea
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will base a 5,000-tonne civilian patrol ship on one of the main islands it controls in the disputed South China Sea and begin regular patrols, an official newspaper said on Tuesday, a move likely to add fuel to territorial dis…
Pakistan bombs militant hideouts in tribal area after Taliban attacks
PESHAWAR/DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan fighter jets bombed suspected Taliban hideouts in a tribal area on the Afghan border on Tuesday killing at least 15 people, military sources and residents said, after a wave of insurgent attacks …
China has ‘complete faith’ in Sochi security
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is confident that Russia will be able to guarantee security at next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, officials said on Tuesday.
Tokyo pushing ahead with U.S. base relocation plan despite election loss
TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo is pushing ahead with plans to relocate a controversial U.S. base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, despite the weekend re-election of a mayor strongly opposed to the move, and on Tuesday invited tenders for the first …
Japan PM may attend Sochi Games, China says no plans to meet Xi
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may attend the opening ceremony for the Sochi Winter Olympics, but China has ruled out any formal meeting with President Xi Jinping whose attendance at the Games has already been confirmed.
U.S. military says readying plans for Olympic security assistance
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military said on Monday that air and naval assets, including two ships in the Black Sea, would be made available if needed during the Sochi Winter Olympics in support of Russia, which faces militant threats to disrupt th…
West, Iran activate landmark nuclear deal
VIENNA/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Iran has halted its most sensitive nuclear operations under a preliminary deal with world powers, winning some relief from economic sanctions on Monday in a ground-breaking exchange that could ease a threat of war.
Ukrainian leader urges dialogue after street battles
KIEV (Reuters) – President Viktor Yanukovich, reeling from the worst violence for decades in the Ukrainian capital, appealed for compromise on Monday as police and demonstrators clashed again in the streets.
Iran invite to Syria talks withdrawn after boycott threat
UNITED NATIONS/ANKARA (Reuters) – U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon withdrew a last-minute invitation to Iran to attend peace talks on Syria on Monday after the Syrian opposition threatened to boycott this week’s conference if President Bashar al-Assad’s main spo…
Ban Ki-moon withdraws Iran’s invite to Syria talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday withdrew an offer for Iran to attend Syria peace negotiations after Tehran declared it does not support the June 2012 political transition deal that is the basis for the talks.
