Russian court order activists held over Arctic oil protest
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian court ordered 20 Greenpeace activists from around the world to be held in custody for two months pending further investigation over a protest against offshore oil drilling in the Arctic, drawing condemnation and a vow to ap…
U.S., Iran voice optimism and caution after rare encounter
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran and the United States held their highest-level substantive talks in a generation on Thursday, saying the tone was positive but sounding cautious about resolving the long-running standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.
Kerry’s ‘Shall we talk?’ prompts rare private meeting between Iran and U.S.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – First there was a handshake, then an invitation to talk and finally a 30-minute tete-a-tete that made for the highest-level official meeting between the United States and Iran in more than three decades.
China’s ‘mini-Hong Kong’ eyes Internet access, shrugs off Shanghai threat
SHENZHEN/HONGKONG (Reuters) – A planned economic zone in southern China will allow full internet freedom, similar to what will be allowed in a proposed free trade zone in Shanghai, a senior official behind the project said on Thursday.
China’s ‘mini-Hong Kong’ eyes Internet access, shrugs off Shanghai threat
SHENZHEN/HONGKONG (Reuters) – A planned economic zone in southern China will allow full internet freedom, similar to what will be allowed in a proposed free trade zone in Shanghai, a senior official behind the project said on Thursday.
Palestinian leader urges world powers to rein in Israeli settlements
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that “time is running out” for Middle East peace efforts and urged world powers to rein in Israeli settlement construction that he warned could undermine U.S.-sponsored neg…
Iran proposes fully implementing nuclear pact within a year: U.S
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran proposed carrying out an agreement to address concerns about its nuclear program within a year at talks with major powers on Thursday, a senior U.S. State Department official said.
Church not helping Peru on pedophilia inquiry into bishop: prosecutor
LIMA (Reuters) – The Catholic Church has yet to help authorities in Peru who are investigating whether a defrocked bishop sexually abused children before Pope Francis forced him from his post in a poor Andean region, a prosecutor said on Thursday.
Greek far-right party threatens to pull lawmakers from parliament
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s far-right Golden Party has threatened to pull out of parliament, a move that would trigger a wave of by-elections that could destabilize the country, its leader said late on Thursday.
Panama Canal Authority fines detained North Korea ship smuggling Cuban arms
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panama’s Canal Authority slapped a fine on Thursday of up to $1 million on the owners of a North Korean ship seized in July for smuggling Cuban weapons under 10,000 tons of sugar.