Family lawyers ejected from landmark China torture trial
BEIJING (Reuters) – Lawyers for the family of a Chinese man allegedly tortured to death during an internal Communist Party investigation were thrown out of the court on Tuesday at the start of the landmark, sensitive trial of six party officials accuse…
Japan wants to consider lowering nuclear dependence: trade minister
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s trade minister said on Tuesday the government would like to consider lowering the dependence on nuclear power two-and-a- half years after a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant in northeast Japan.
Nicaragua presses Colombia with new lawsuit in border dispute
MANAGUA (Reuters) – Nicaragua filed a new lawsuit against Colombia with the International Court of Justice on Monday, claiming territory that includes lucrative offshore oil fields and fishing waters in the Caribbean, the government said in a statement…
U.S. and Cuba talk about resuming direct mail service
HAVANA (Reuters) – The United States and Cuba concluded on Monday their second round of talks aimed at re-establishing direct mail service between the two countries after a 50-year ban, but left for later the most sensitive issue – Cuban planes landing…
Costa Concordia salvage nears final phase
GIGLIO, Italy (Reuters) – Salvage crews lifted the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise liner off a rock shelf on Monday as they worked deep into the night to complete one of the most difficult and expensive maritime salvage operations ever undertaken.
Two major storms lash Mexico, 41 dead amid ‘historic’ floods
ACAPULCO (Reuters) – Two powerful storms pummeled Mexico as they converged from the Pacific and the Gulf on Monday, killing at least 41 people and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands amid some of the worst flooding in decades.
Western powers press Assad to comply; U.N. confirms sarin used
PARIS/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States, Britain and France warned President Bashar al-Assad on Monday that there would be consequences if he failed to hand over Syria’s chemical weapons, and said a U.N. report on the August 21 sarin gas att…
U.N. confirms sarin used in Syria attack; U.S., UK, France blame Assad
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. chemical investigators on Monday confirmed the use of sarin nerve agent in an August 21 poison gas attack outside the Syrian capital in a long-awaited report that the United States, Britain and France said proved governm…
Six Chinese officials stand trial for torture in landmark case
BEIJING (Reuters) – Six Communist Party officials will stand trial in China on Tuesday on charges of torturing a man to death during an internal investigation in a case that has exposed the secret workings of the party’s judicial system.
Turkish warplanes shoot down Syrian helicopter
YAYLADAGI, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkey said its warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter on Monday after it crossed into Turkish airspace and the government warned it had taken all necessary measures to defend itself against any further such violations.