Explosions kill 1, injure 8 in north China city: reports
BEIJING (Reuters) – Several small bombs exploded in front of a Communist Party building in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring another eight, state media said.
Tajik leader Rakhmon set to extend long rule
DUSHANBE (Reuters) – Tajikistan on Wednesday started voting in a presidential election in which incumbent Imomali Rakhmon is set to win a new seven-year term to lead the Central Asian country that faces security threats from neighboring Afghanistan.
Colombia says Russian bombers violated its airspace
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia is preparing a letter of protest to Russia after two Russian bomber planes twice entered the Andean nation’s airspace without authorization when flying between Venezuela and Nicaragua last week, President Juan Manuel Santos …
U.S., Russia fail to agree on Syria peace talks date
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United States and Russia failed on Tuesday to agree on a date for a Syrian peace conference, remaining divided over what role Iran might play in talks to end the civil war and over who would represent Syria’s opposition.
Exclusive: Syrian chemical weapons mission funded only until end of month
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The international body tasked with ensuring Syria’s chemical weapons are eliminated has enough money to fund its mission only until the end of this month, and needs more funds soon for the destruction of poison gas stocks next yea…
‘No-spy’ pact with Germany unlikely despite Snowden’s revelations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is working to improve intelligence cooperation with Germany but a sweeping “no-spy” agreement between the two countries is unlikely, a senior Obama administration official said on Tuesday.
Exclusive: Syrian chemical weapons mission funded only until end of month
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The international body tasked with ensuring Syria’s chemical weapons are eliminated has enough money to fund its mission only until the end of this month, and needs more funds soon for the destruction of poison gas stocks next yea…
Toronto Mayor Ford admits he smoked crack; will not resign
TORONTO (Reuters) – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted on Tuesday he has smoked crack cocaine, probably “in one of my drunken stupors,” but insisted he’s not an addict and said he would stay in office and run for reelection next year.
Dutch take Russia to maritime court to free Greenpeace activists
HAMBURG (Reuters) – The Netherlands will ask an international court on Wednesday to order Russia to release 30 people detained during a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic.
France won’t delay Mali troop withdrawal despite killings
PARIS/BAMAKO (Reuters) – France will stick to its timetable for withdrawing troops from Mali despite a resurgence in violence and the killing of two French journalists, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Tuesday.