Fiji’s junta chief steps down from military ahead of elections
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The leader of Fiji’s military junta officially resigned his position in the armed forces on Wednesday ahead of national elections he is widely expected to win.
Uighur leader fears China’s ‘iron fist’ after knife attack
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Chinese authorities are likely to further crack down on dissent in the restive Xinjiang region after a bloody train station knife attack that Beijing blames on militants, an exiled Uighur leader said on Tuesday.
U.S. calls for ‘urgent’ restraint to ease Japan, South Korea tensions
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States appealed to Japan and South Korea on Tuesday to work urgently to reduce the tensions between them, saying its two main allies in Asia could not afford to let their troubled history interfere with ensuring region…
U.N. warns of possible humanitarian disaster in South Sudan
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – If the fighting in South Sudan prevents people from planting crops over the next three months, the country will be headed for a humanitarian disaster, the humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations in South Sudan said on…
Netanyahu warns on Iran, no concessions for Palestinians
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the United States and other world powers on Tuesday not to allow Iran to retain the ability to enrich uranium, and urged Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state if they …
Putin: military force would be ‘last resort’ in Ukraine
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin delivered a robust defense of Russia’s actions in Crimea on Tuesday and said he would use force in Ukraine only as a last resort, easing market fears that East-West tension over the former Soviet republic cou…
Scottish leader calls on all Britons to back independence
LONDON (Reuters) – Scottish leader Alex Salmond called on all Britons on Tuesday to back his campaign for an independent Scotland to help create a northern economic counterweight to stop London from sucking the life out of the rest of the country.
Amid protests, Venezuela to remember late Hugo Chavez
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela geared up on Tuesday for commemorations of socialist leader Hugo Chavez’s death despite continued protests against his successor that have shaken the OPEC member and threatened the legacy of “El Comandante.”
Karzai brother to withdraw from Afghan presidential race: rival
KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghan president’s brother is preparing to withdraw from the presidential elections according to a rival candidate, former Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul, who said late on Tuesday the two were planning an alliance and would join …
Egypt’s Sisi signals he will run for president
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s armed forces chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signaled on Tuesday that he will run for president, saying he cannot ignore the “majority” of Egyptians who want him to do so, state news agency MENA reported.
