Aid convoy stalled as Syrian government demands assurances
GENEVA (Reuters) – The fate of a U.N. aid convoy for thousands of Syrians besieged in the city of Homs hung in the balance on Tuesday as the Syrian government demanded assurances the supplies would not end up in the hands of “terrorists”.
Ukraine PM resigns amid unrest, parliament revokes anti-protest laws
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigned on Tuesday while deputies loyal to President Viktor Yanukovich, acting to calm violent street protests, back-tracked and overturned anti-protest laws they rammed through parliament 12 day…
Gunmen kill Egyptian general; ousted Mursi defiant at trial
CAIRO (Reuters) – Islamist militant gunmen on a motorcycle killed a top Interior Ministry official in Cairo on Tuesday in the latest blow to a military-backed Egyptian government struggling to curb violence and suppress dissent.
South Sudan rebel leader should face treason charge: minister
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar and six others should be tried for treason for their role in weeks of bloodshed, the justice minister said on Tuesday, threatening to heighten tensions in already troubled peace talks.
Central African Republic wants U.N. force as EU troops OKed
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council approved on Tuesday the planned deployment of European troops to Central African Republic in a bid to stop violence between Christians and Muslims as the country’s president called for a U.N. peaceke…
Abbas proposes three-year Israeli pullout from West Bank
TEL AVIV (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas proposed on Tuesday that Israel carry out a gradual three-year withdrawal from the occupied West Bank as part of any future peace deal, an offer that fell short of Israeli demands.
Nicaragua scraps term limits in boost for socialist Ortega
MANAGUA (Reuters) – Nicaragua’s national assembly on Tuesday voted to scrap presidential term limits, which could allow socialist President Daniel Ortega to remain in power indefinitely and has stoked concerns about democracy in the Central American co…
U.S. senators urge nominee for Beijing ambassador to be tough on China
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers expressed concern about China’s territorial ambitions at a confirmation hearing on Tuesday for the next American ambassador to China, and they urged him to take a tough line with Beijing.
Influential cleric urges Saudis to stop backing Egypt’s dominant military
DOHA (Reuters) – A prominent Gulf-based Muslim cleric called on Saudi Arabia to stop backing Egypt’s military-dominated authorities, accusing them of using Saudi money to kill Egyptians protesting at the overthrow in July of an elected Islamist preside…
Iranian lawmakers to visit Britain as diplomatic ties improve
LONDON (Reuters) – Iranian parliamentarians will come to London in the next few months, the first such visit in years, as Iran and Britain try to improve their damaged relations, a group of British lawmakers said on Tuesday.
