Obama considers Syria moves, Assad turns guns on north
BEIRUT (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama is deciding whether to take new action to help Syria’s rebels, the White House said on Thursday, while President Bashar al-Assad’s surging forces and their Lebanese Hezbollah allies turned their guns on th…
U.N. says more accountability needed on Afghanistan’s Kabulbank scandal
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – More people must be held accountable for the 2010 collapse of Afghanistan’s Kabulbank and robust action on asset recovery and financial regulation is essential to ease foreign donor worries and ensure continued aid, the Unite…
Turkey seeks negotiated end to anti-government protests
ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and the governor of Istanbul made what appeared to be final efforts to end two weeks of anti-government unrest by negotiation on Friday, meeting opponents of controversial plans to redev…
Chinese dissident to leave New York University shortly
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who left his home country last year and became a visiting scholar at New York University, will leave the school this summer but will likely remain in the United States, university officials said o…
Anti-G8 protests aim for London’s Canary Wharf banking district
LONDON (Reuters) – Activists plan a show of “civil disobedience” in the heart of London’s Canary Wharf financial district on Friday to protest against capitalism ahead of next week’s G8 summit which Britain is hosting.
Kuwait parliament condemns sectarian rhetoric over Syria
KUWAIT (Reuters) – Kuwait’s parliament on Thursday condemned attempts to use the crisis in Syria to stoke sectarian tensions, calling for the government to crack down on “extremist behavior” and rhetoric in the Gulf Arab state.
South Korea turns up the heat as foreign automakers make inroads
SEOUL (Reuters) – Recent free trade deals have helped foreign premium-brand automakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz drive up sales in South Korea, previously a heavily protected market dominated by Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors.
Argentine ex-President Menem could face 7 years in prison for arms smuggling
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Former Argentine President Carlos Menem received a seven-year prison sentence for arms smuggling to Croatia and Ecuador in the 1990s, but he will not be jailed unless his fellow senators strip him of immunity, a court said on T…
Putin says Russia seeking IMF reform, battling offshores
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund needs “thorough reform” and Russia will push for deals giving developing countries more clout in time for a G20 summit it is hosting in September, President Vladimir Putin said in remarks published on …
Greeks strike over state TV closure, PM offers talks
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras moved to defuse a political crisis over the government’s abrupt closure of state broadcaster ERT that prompted a nationwide strike on Thursday and brought thousands into the streets in protest.
