U.S. North Korea envoy to visit South Korea, China and Japan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. special envoy for North Korea will travel to South Korea, China and Japan next week for consultations on policy toward Pyongyang, the State Department said on Thursday.
African mediators in Congo conflict call for talks in three days
KAMPALA (Reuters) – African leaders trying to end an 18-month-old uprising in Congo called on Thursday for stalled talks between the government and eastern rebels to restart within three days.
Iran’s foreign ministry to lead nuclear talks with world powers
DUBAI (Reuters) – President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday the foreign ministry would take over talks with world powers on Iran’s contested nuclear program, an apparent move to smooth the diplomatic process after years of control by conservative hardl…
Specter of North Korea lurks in U.S. debate on Syria’s chemical weapons
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Obama administration officials making the case for a U.S. military response to Syria’s alleged gassing of its citizens are invoking another American foe long suspected of stockpiling chemical weapons: North Korea.
Australia’s next PM? The thinking man’s ‘mad-dog rugger bugger’
CANBERRA (Reuters) – If anybody had a good reason to dislike Australia’s conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott, poised to be elected prime minister on Saturday, it would be author Bob Ellis.
Brazil tries to elude NSA with new cables, satellite
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Can any government escape the prying eyes of the U.S. National Security Agency? Brazil is going to try.
New Mali president names banker as first prime minister
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s new president has named Oumar Tatam Ly, a former senior official in West Africa’s regional central bank, as his first prime minister, according to a statement read on state television on Thursday.
Kenya votes to quit global court, days before deputy president’s trial
AMSTERDAM/NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s parliament voted on Thursday to quit the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, but the Hague-based tribunal said it would press ahead anyway with the trials of the country’s president and his deputy.
Cyprus parliament rejects condition for bailout, talks continue
NICOSIA (Reuters) – The parliament of Cyprus on Thursday rejected legislation bringing its co-operative banks under the direct supervision of the central bank, a condition in a bailout program the island agreed with international lenders.
Together again, Obama and Putin are ‘odd couple’ at summit
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – A brief photo-op on Thursday between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin spoke volumes, limited mostly to tight smiles and a businesslike handshake between U.S. and Russian leaders bitterly divided by the crisis in Syria….
