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….
Colombia’s FARC may face alternative justice, not impunity
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s peace negotiations with Marxist FARC rebels will not lead to impunity for the rebels as critics fear after a half-century conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people, a senior Colombian official said.
Japan PM Abe shakes hands with China’s Xi at G20
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands and exchanged words politely on Thursday on the sidelines of a G20 summit meeting, a Japanese official said, in an unexpected show of cor…
