Indian parliament approves landmark anti-graft bill as elections near
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – – India’s parliament voted on Tuesday for the appointment of a powerful anti-graft ombudsman to investigate wrongdoing in government, ending years of dithering, as public anger has mounted over a string of corruption scandals.
Kerry plays down tension with China in maritime disputes
MANILA (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday played down tension with China over the East China Sea, saying U.S. efforts to strengthen maritime security in South East Asia were part of a normal process to help allies defend themselves be…
Kerry says meeting with Syrian rebel group possible
MANILA (Reuters) – The United States has not met representatives of Syria’s Islamic Front but a meeting is possible to broaden the representation of moderate opposition groups in talks to end the Syrian war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on T…
Thousands of foreigners have fought in Syria: research group
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Between 3,300 and 11,000 fighters from more than 70 nations, including a rising number from Western Europe, have joined the struggle in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad, a research group reported on Tuesday.
Denying Armenian ‘genocide’ is no crime: European court
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) – Denying that mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 were genocide is not a criminal offence, the European Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday in a case involving Switzerland.
Putin’s prison amnesty plan set for approval in Russian Duma
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A prison amnesty that President Vladimir Putin has portrayed as an act of mercy and could free members of punk band Pussy riot came a step closer on Tuesday when Russian lawmakers gave it preliminary approval.
Two Saudis back from Guantanamo face ‘rehab’ for militants
RIYADH (Reuters) – Two Saudi detainees sent home from the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay will go through the kingdom’s rehabilitation program for militants, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan says no to military action against Taliban
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan ruled out military action against the Taliban on Tuesday and promised to persuade insurgents to lay down their weapons through peace negotiations.
Former Sarkozy aides arrested in French graft probe
PARIS (Reuters) – The former right-hand man of French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy was arrested on Tuesday for questioning about alleged misuse of public funds when he served the conservative leader at the interior ministry, a judicial source said.
Anger escalates in India after U.S. arrest of diplomat in New York
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s national security adviser and senior political leaders weighed into an escalating dispute with the United States on Tuesday over the arrest and alleged heavy-handed treatment of an Indian diplomat in New York.
