Pope tells cardinals to tackle divisive family issues with courage
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Thursday urged cardinals gathered to discuss family-related issues such as contraception, cohabitation, divorce and gay relationships to be “intelligent, courageous and loving” in their debate.
Indian government clashes with southern state over Gandhi killers
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s government was embroiled in a dispute on Thursday with a powerful state that plans to free seven people convicted for the 1991 killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in political jostling ahead of a general electio…
China aims for Nanjing’s history to speak loudly on Japan
NANJING, China (Reuters) – China pressed a propaganda campaign against Japan this week with a guided visit to the site of the 1937 Nanjing massacre, holding up proof to refute doubts by some in Japan about the extent of the atrocity or even that it hap…
Pussy Riot mocks Russia’s Olympics in music video
SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) – Protest group Pussy Riot published their first music video since two members were freed from jail, mocking President Vladimir Putin’s hosting of the Olympics as a public relations stunt papering over human rights violations in…
Blasts shake five polling stations in Libya, no one hurt
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Explosions rocked five polling stations in eastern Libya on Thursday as voters began electing a body to draft a new constitution, another step in the OPEC producer’s rocky transition since Muammar Gaddafi fell in 2011.
South Sudan oil state capital divided, says government
JUBA (Reuters) – The capital of South Sudan’s main oil-producing region was divided between the army and rebels on Thursday, but the government said it remained committed to peace talks which have stalled this month.
Austrian president weighs visit to Iran
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian President Heinz Fischer has been invited to Iran, a country keen to revive ties with the EU member that for centuries was Tehran’s bridgehead to Europe.
Separated for over six decades, tears and joy at Korean reunions
SEOUL (Reuters) – More than 100 South Koreans, many of them on wheelchairs, crossed the world’s most heavily fortified border on Thursday to be reunited with family members living in the North whom they have not seen since the 1950-53 Korean War.
Bulgaria says identified third suspect in Burgas bus bombing
SOFIA (Reuters) – A third suspect has been identified in the bombing of a bus that killed five Israeli tourists in the Black Sea city of Burgas in 2012 that Bulgarian authorities have blamed on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Aides give Japan’s Abe a headache on history, U.S. alliance
TOKYO (Reuters) – Remarks by aides to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about U.S.-Japan ties and the wartime past are giving the Japanese leader a political headache as he seeks to soothe strains with key ally Washington amid rising regional tensions.
