U.S.-Arab strains hand Russia chance to regain some Mideast clout
DUBAI/CAIRO (Reuters) – Unfamiliar strains between Washington and its Arab allies have given Russia an opportunity to regain some lost influence in the Middle East, capture arms sales from U.S. competitors and enjoy the unusual spectacle of its old riv…
North Korea may have detained elderly U.S. citizen: media
TOKYO (Reuters) – North Korea may have detained an elderly U.S. man last month who entered the country on a tourist visa, Japan’s Kyodo News Service said on Wednesday, citing an unnamed diplomatic source.
Afghan refugees face increasing harassment in Iran: group
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghans fleeing fighting at home and seeking refuge in neighboring Iran face increasing persecution by the Iranian government, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Wednesday.
Rescue workers seek survivors after South Africa mall collapses
TONGAAT, South Africa (Reuters) – Rescue workers with sniffer dogs picked through rubble in search of survivors on Wednesday after a soccer pitch-sized section of a half-built mall collapsed, killing at least one and injuring dozens.
Venezuela gives president decree powers for ‘economic war’
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan lawmakers granted President Nicolas Maduro yearlong decree powers on Tuesday that he says are essential to regulate the economy and stamp out corruption but adversaries view as a power grab.
Afghan security deal clouded by dispute over U.S. admission of ‘mistakes’
KABUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Last-minute efforts to finalize a security pact between the United States and Afghanistan were clouded on Tuesday by differences over whether President Barack Obama had agreed to issue a letter acknowledging U.S. mistakes m…
Cabinet switch buttresses Argentina’s left-leaning economic model
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – President Cristina Fernandez’s new Cabinet picks this week confirmed a deepening of Argentina’s left-leaning economic model rather than a policy switch needed to confront escalating inflation and dwindling foreign currency rese…
U.N. committee slaps Syria, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar for rights abuses
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A U.N. General Assembly committee on Tuesday condemned Syria for widespread human rights abuses and expressed concern about such violations in Iran, North Korea and Myanmar, but also welcomed pledges by Iran and Myanmar’s pre…
German intelligence agency to step up counterintelligence -official
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s domestic intelligence agency is planning to expand its counterintelligence operations to include friendly countries following revelations about the United States’ extensive spying program, a senior German security official …
Venezuela’s Congress approves decree powers for Maduro
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan lawmakers granted President Nicolas Maduro yearlong decree powers on Tuesday that he says are essential to regulate the economy and stamp out corruption but adversaries view as a thinly veiled power grab.
