Exclusive: U.S. readies financial sanctions against Ukraine: congressional aides
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration is preparing financial sanctions that could be imposed on Ukrainian officials and protest leaders if violence escalates in the political crisis gripping Ukraine, congressional aides said on Wednesday.
Exclusive: Syria has shipped out less than 5 percent of chemical weapons
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Syria has given up less than 5 percent of its chemical weapons arsenal and will miss next week’s deadline to send all toxic agents abroad for destruction, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Russia to await new Ukraine government before fully implementing rescue-Putin
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin raised the pressure on Ukraine on Wednesday, saying Russia would wait until it forms a new government before fully implementing a $15 billion bailout deal that Kiev urgently needs.
Amanda Knox faces verdict in Italy in retrial on Kercher murder
FLORENCE, Italy (Reuters) – Amanda Knox, the American student who became tabloid fodder, will not be in court on Thursday to hear Italian judges give their verdict in her retrial for the murder of Briton Meredith Kercher when the two were roommates stu…
South Korea urges North to hasten reunions but vows to continue drills
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea urged the North on Wednesday to speed efforts for reunions of families separated since the war that divided the neighbors, but vowed to continue joint military drills with the United States, despite protests from Pyongyang…
Brahimi says no substantive progress on Syria but hopeful
GENEVA (Reuters) – International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said on Wednesday that he does not expect to achieve anything substantive in the first round of Syria talks ending on Friday, but hoped for a more productive second round starting about a week l…
Baghdad bombs and shooting kill at least 19
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Car bombs in mainly Shi’ite districts of the Iraqi capital and a shooting killed at least 19 people on Wednesday, police said, driving the death toll so far this month to nearly 1,000, according to Iraq Body Count.
Israeli ruling coalition wobbles as U.S. peace proposal looms
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A pending U.S. framework proposal to propel stumbling Israeli-Palestinian peace talks forward chipped away on Wednesday at a troubled alliance between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an ultranationalist ally in his governing…
Italy vote reform moves to parliament as parties agree changes
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s main political parties agreed adjustments to center-left leader Matteo Renzi’s electoral reform proposals that should clear the way for the closely watched package to come before parliament on Thursday.
Hoping to deter Hezbollah, Israel threatens Lebanese civilians
HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) – Israel accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas on Wednesday of putting “thousands” of bases in residential buildings and said it would destroy these in a future conflict, even at the cost of civilian lives.
