Former Cyprus defense minister given jail term for blast
NICOSIA (Reuters) – A former Cypriot defense minister was given a five-year jail term on Friday over a munitions blast two years ago which killed 13 people and crippled the island’s electricity grid.
China rights scenario deteriorating, says United States
BEIJING (Reuters) – The United States got few answers to questions about detained activists during its annual rights dialogue with China, and believes the situation in the country continues to deteriorate, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
Ghana’s navy intercepts suspected pirate ship and arrests crew
ACCRA (Reuters) – Ghana’s navy has intercepted a ship and arrested its crew on suspicion of involvement in the hijacking of an oil products tanker off Gabon last month, Ghana’s government said.
China reiterates opposition to U.S. sanctions on Iran
BEIJING (Reuters) – China, Iran’s largest trading partner and top oil customer, repeated its opposition on Friday to tougher U.S. sanctions on Iran after the House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at halting Iran’s oil exports.
Analysis: Pope seeks to align Church hierarchy with the pews
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Some say his trip last week to Brazil, capped by a Mass for 3 million on Copacabana Beach, and the 80-minute, unfiltered news conference on the plane back to Rome, were the real start of Pope Francis’s pontificate.
In overture to China, Japan PM may skip visit to war dead shrine
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will likely skip visiting a shrine for war dead on a traditional remembrance day this month, a move he hopes will open the door to a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and mend badly frayed tie…
Japan’s deputy PM Aso says he won’t resign over Nazi comments
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said on Friday he has no intention of resigning over comments he made, but were later retracted, that were interpreted as praise for Germany’s Nazi regime and Adolf Hitler’s rise to power.
U.S. to close some embassies Sunday for security reasons
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. embassies that would normally be open this Sunday – including those in Abu Dhabi, Baghdad and Cairo – will be closed that day because of unspecified security concerns, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
France to cut military staff by 12 percent in six-year budget
PARIS (Reuters) – France will cut nearly 34,000 military personnel under a proposed six-year defence budget to be unveiled on Friday, as government belt-tightening and a desire for more nimble forces alters the makeup of Europe’s second-largest army.
Tunisian union gives government one week to step down
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s powerful union federation said on Friday that the embattled Islamist-led government had one week to reach a deal for creating a new technocrat government, otherwise it will be “forced to consider” other options.
