Russia needs Arctic presence to guard against U.S. threat: Putin
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia had vital defense and economic interests in the Arctic, citing a potential U.S. military threat from submarine-based missiles there.
Italy PM Letta dismisses signs of tension ahead of vote
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta dismissed signs of growing tension in his government on Tuesday, ahead of a confidence vote next week to confirm his new majority after Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party quit the ruling coalitio…
Nigeria eases curfew, boosts security in Maiduguri
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigerian authorities relaxed a curfew and intensified military patrols in Maiduguri on Tuesday, a day after suspected Islamist militants launched strikes on military bases in the northeast city.
Newspaper accuses Cameron, on trade trip, of meddling in China’s affairs
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A Chinese state newspaper on Tuesday accused British Prime Minister David Cameron, in Shanghai on a visit aimed at deepening trade cooperation, of meddling in China’s affairs.
U.N. forces use drones for first time, in eastern Congo
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – United Nations forces in Democratic Republic of Congo launched unmanned aircraft on Tuesday to monitor the volatile border with Rwanda and Uganda, the first time U.N. peacekeepers have deployed surveillanc…
Russian dancer gets six years for Bolshoi acid attack
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko was sentenced to six years in a high-security prison on Tuesday for ordering an acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet and tarnished the reputation of the renowne…
German states launch lonely bid to ban far-right NPD
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s 16 states launched a battle on Tuesday to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) after the federal government failed spectacularly a decade ago to outlaw a party its critics say shows an affinity for Hitler’s Naz…
Mexican Senate committees approve electoral reform
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican Senate committees on Tuesday passed an electoral reform demanded by the opposition, taking Congress a step closer to a bill to open up the oil and gas industry at the center of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s economic age…
Thai government defuses confrontation, protest leader says not over
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s government ordered police on Tuesday to stop confronting protesters demanding the resignation of the prime minister, raising hope that days of political violence may end, but the leader of the campaign said the fight woul…
North Korea’s Kim seen behind sacking of powerful uncle
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is believed to have dismissed a powerful uncle, a man key to his rise to power, from his posts, South Korean lawmakers said on Tuesday, a move that could help consolidate his power base with a younger g…
