Insight: Syria’s Assad is fortunate in his enemies
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Bashar al-Assad, who only a month ago faced the likelihood of U.S. missile strikes that could have tipped the balance of Syria’s war against him, has won a reprieve.
Israel bleak about U.S.-Iran rapprochement at U.N. summit
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel voiced concern on Tuesday over a potential meeting of the U.S. and Iranian presidents, saying Tehran’s conciliatory overtures to world powers masked an acceleration of its disputed nuclear program.
Syrian rebels fight to break blockade of Damascus suburbs
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian insurgents pressed a new assault in the strategic, heavily-defended southwestern suburbs of Damascus on Tuesday, saying they aimed to break an army blockade of rebel-held areas.
China to audit military officials in move to fight graft: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese military officials will have to undergo an audit before they can retire or be promoted, state media reported on Tuesday, in the latest measure in the leadership’s campaign against corruption.
Greek public sector workers strike as lenders check reform progress
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek public sector workers went on strike for the second time in a week on Tuesday, shutting schools and leaving hospitals with skeleton staff, as inspectors from Greece’s foreign lenders checked whether the country was meeting its …
Ex-pope Benedict denies covering up sexual abuse
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Former Pope Benedict has denied that he tried to cover up sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests, in his first direct published comments since he stepped down.
Pope defends immigrant rights, denounces ‘slave labor’
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis urged countries on Tuesday to welcome and respect migrants and refugees and not treat them as “pawns on the chessboard of humanity”.
U.N. envoy for Somalia seeks more resources to combat al Shabaab
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations envoy for Somalia called on Tuesday for more military support for African troops to counter al Shabaab, the Islamist militant group which has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on Kenya’s Westgate mall.
China says banned exports to North Korea not meant as punishment
BEIJING (Reuters) – A list of goods banned for export to North Korea signals China’s commitment to enforcing international sanctions and is in no way intended to punish Pyongyang, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
French court upholds Sarkozy vote funding probe
BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) – A French appeals court ruled on Tuesday an investigation could proceed into former president Nicolas Sarkozy on accusations he duped L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt into donating election campaign funds.
