Severe tropical cyclone bears down on Tonga
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A category three cyclone bearing down on the South Pacific island nation of Tonga with destructive winds is expected to make landfall in as little as 18 hours, Tonga Meteorological Services said on Thursday.
Nauru hikes journalist visa costs amid Australian secrecy on asylum policy
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Nauru, the tiny Pacific island that hosts a controversial Australian immigration detention centre, is hiking visa costs for foreign journalists by 40 times, fuelling concerns over secrecy surrounding Australia’s asylum seeker policy….
U.S. judge denies request for delay in Indian diplomat case
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal judge has denied a request by a lawyer for Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade to delay proceedings in a visa fraud case that has strained relations between the United States and India.
China takes propaganda war with Japan to United Nations
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – China took its propaganda war with Japan to the United Nations on Wednesday, questioning Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s motives for visiting a controversial war shrine and calling on him to correct his “erroneous outloo…
Russia again blocks U.N. Security Council from condemning Syria attacks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Russia blocked a U.N. Security Council statement on Wednesday that would have expressed outrage at deadly airstrikes by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and condemned the use of missiles and “barrel bombs” in towns, …
India tells U.S. to close embassy club; dispute exposes flaws in ties
NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – India ordered the United States on Wednesday to close down an embassy club for expatriate Americans in New Delhi, escalating a diplomatic dispute that has brought faultlines in ties between the nations out in the open.
Iraqi prime minister says victory certain as Falluja assault looms
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed to eradicate al Qaeda in Iraq and predicted victory as his army prepared to launch a major assault against the Sunni Islamist militants who have taken over parts of the city of Falluja.
Tunisia’s assembly appoints key electoral council
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s national assembly appointed an electoral council on Wednesday to oversee elections this year, a key step in the country’s transition to democracy three years after its “Arab Spring” uprising.
Venezuela president and opposition leader in rare handshake
CARACAS (Reuters) – After months of insults, Venezuela’s president and opposition leader on Wednesday shook hands for the first time since their bitter election standoff last year – at a meeting about chronic violent crime prompted by the roadside murd…
Iran, big power nuclear talks hit snag on centrifuge research
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Negotiations between Iran and six world powers on implementing a landmark November deal to freeze parts of Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for easing some sanctions have run into problems over advanced centrifuge researc…
