U.S. providing some lethal aid to Syrian rebels: opposition spokesman
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has begun distributing some weapons to the Syrian rebels, a spokesman for the Syrian Coalition of groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday, after months of reported delays.
Egypt’s former chief-of-staff to be released after detention
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s prosecutor general approved the release of ousted President Mohamed Mursi’s former chief of staff, who was detained last month over accusations of inciting the detention, torture and interrogation of protesters in 2012, judici…
Russia cancels emergency U.N. meeting on Syria chemical weapons
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – An emergency closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Syria was canceled on Tuesday after Russia withdrew its request for the session, Australia’s U.N. envoy said, as Western powers and Russia disagreed over a plan…
Mali’s new government to review mining contracts: minister
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s new government will carry out a “complete inventory” of existing mining contracts and stands ready to renegotiate any which are not in the West African country’s interests, the new mining minister told Reuters on Tuesday.
Insight: With Japan’s help, an ex-soldier leads Yangon from backwater to megacity
YANGON (Reuters) – Every evening, long after Yangon’s office workers have squeezed onto packed buses for grueling commutes to the suburbs, a single room remains lit up on the top floor of City Hall.
Impromptu or scripted, Syria plan lets Russia play the peacemaker
MOSCOW (Reuters) – If it really was just an offhand remark by the U.S. secretary of state that gave Russia the chance to play peacemaker in the Syrian conflict, Moscow is certainly not letting on.
Tunisia’s assembly to restart work on constitution
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s transitional parliament will resume work on a new constitution after a month-long suspension, its president said on Tuesday, a step that may ease the deadlock between the country’s Islamist-led government and secular opposit…
Insight: Japan ponders Fukushima options, but Tepco too big to fail
TOKYO (Reuters) – Fukushima nuclear plant operator Tepco Electric’s response to the world’s worst atomic disaster in a quarter century has been called ad hoc and more concerned with cost than safety, but 30 months later, the utility is still in charge….
Brazilian president’s popularity rebounding from post-protest slump
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s approval ratings are recovering from a wave of popular discontent and she has broadened her lead over other possible contenders in next year’s election, a poll published on Tuesday showed.
Putin says he, Obama discussed control over Syrian chemical arms
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he and U.S. President Barack Obama had agreed at talks last week to step up efforts to safeguard Syria’s chemical weapons and discussed placing the arsenal under international control.
