In Malaysia, Mahathir’s rising son signals conservative shift
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – The chief minister of the rural Malaysian state of Kedah has a familiar face, even if he lacks the charisma, provocative rhetoric and razor-sharp political skills of his famous father.
U.S. allows non-emergency personnel to return to Beirut embassy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said Thursday that its non-emergency staff could return to work at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, which was evacuated last month because of potential security threats.
Italian Senate committee likely to start Berlusconi expulsion process
ROME (Reuters) – An Italian Senate committee is likely to start a process on Friday to expel Silvio Berlusconi from parliament following his conviction for tax fraud, meaning the former prime minister’s fate could be sealed within weeks.
Tunisian government and opponents to start talks Saturday
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s ruling Islamists and their secular opponents will start three weeks of negotiations on Saturday to allow the government to step down and make way for a caretaker cabinet until elections, a labor union mediating the talks sai…
U.S. sanctions Rwanda, others over child soldiers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States moved to block U.S. military aid to Rwanda because of its support for the M23 Congolese rebel group believed to use child soldiers, the State Department said on Thursday.
Israel to run for U.N. Security Council seat for 2019-20
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Israel said on Thursday it plans to run for a rotating seat on the U.N. Security Council for the time ever for 2019-2020, although U.N. diplomats said it will not be easy for the Jewish state to win.
Netanyahu says Iranian missiles could eventually reach U.S.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In his latest warning about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Iran was working on intercontinental ballistic missiles that could one day hit the United States.
Thousands who protested peacefully languish in Syrian jails: HRW
AMMAN (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people who peacefully demonstrated against President Bashar al-Assad are languishing in Syrian jails and are subjected to an apparent policy of torture, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Leader of Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn held in custody before trial
ATHENS (Reuters) – The leader of Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party was remanded in custody on Thursday pending trial on criminal charges, the first time an elected party chief has been put behind bars since a military coup nearly five decades ago.
Hundreds dead, missing as migrant boat sinks off Italy
PALERMO, Italy (Reuters) – More than 300 people drowned or were feared dead after a boat packed with African migrants caught fire and sank off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday, one of the worst disasters of Europe’s chronic immigrat…
