| Scots' push for Britain breakup begins in earnest Posted: 24 May 2012 04:19 PM PDT  EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Supporters of independence for Scotland will launch on Friday what they say is the biggest grassroots campaign in Scottish history, a move that could result in the demise of a 305-year-old union with England and the breakup of Britain. Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes, and a perception that the British parliament in London does not nurture Scotland's national interests, the "Yes Scotland" campaign says it wants to win a referendum on independence in 2014 and for the country to become fully independent by 2016. ...
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| Brotherhood make claims as Egypt polls close Posted: 24 May 2012 01:56 PM PDT  CAIRO (Reuters) - Millions of Egyptians, choosing their leader freely for the first time in their history, voted on Thursday with the Muslim Brotherhood saying their candidate had an early lead over fellow Islamists and rivals who served ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Counting started after polls closed at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) with no reliable exit polls available. The Brotherhood said on its television channel that its candidate Mohamed Mursi was ahead based on the tally from some districts. The influential Islamist group, with its well-organized support base, had been expected to do well. ...
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| U.N. rights chief to stay two more years; U.S., Syria aren't fans Posted: 24 May 2012 03:27 PM PDT  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday renewed the mandate of the world body's human rights chief Navi Pillay, but she was given an abbreviated term as part of a compromise deal with the United States, which dislikes her criticism of Israel, envoys said. Syria also made clear it was not a fan of Pillay, a South African jurist whom the Syrian delegation described as "hostile" towards Damascus. Despite Washington's attempt to block a renewal of Pillay's mandate, a deal was reached after South Africa and others persuaded U.S. ...
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| U.S. soldier, two Chinese charged with smuggling guns to China Posted: 24 May 2012 01:09 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - A member of the U.S. National Guard and two Chinese citizens have been charged with smuggling multiple shipments of firearms from New York City to China, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Joseph Debose, 29, a staff sergeant with a unit of the U.S. Special Forces National Guard, was arrested Sunday in a sting operation by federal agents in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a .45 caliber pistol and 12 other firearms he intended to send illegally overseas, prosecutors said. ... |
| U.S. senators penalize Pakistan for jailing CIA helper Posted: 24 May 2012 04:29 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators scandalized by Pakistan's jailing of a doctor for helping the CIA track down Osama bin Laden voted on Thursday to cut aid to Islamabad by $33 million -- one million for each year in the doctor's sentence. "It's arbitrary, but the hope is that Pakistan will realize we are serious," said Senator Richard Durbin after the unanimous 30-0 vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee. "It's outrageous that they (the Pakistanis) would say a man who helped us find Osama bin Laden is a traitor," said Durbin, the Senate's number two Democrat. ...
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| Both sides in Syria abuse human rights: U.N. report Posted: 24 May 2012 01:52 PM PDT  GENEVA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - A U.N. investigation on Thursday said both sides in the Syrian conflict had committed serious human rights abuses, with government forces executing entire families in their homes and rebels torturing and killing soldiers and government supporters. The United Nations report into the 14-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad said government forces routinely drew up lists of wanted people and their families before blockading then attacking a village or neighborhood. ...
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| Putin's support sliding, crisis ahead: think-tank Posted: 24 May 2012 11:37 AM PDT  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Support for President Vladimir Putin is sliding across Russia, and pressure for change is so widespread that a political crisis including violent clashes with protesters appears highly likely, a respected think-tank said on Thursday. Putin was elected comfortably to a third, six-year term as president in March, despite huge urban protests last winter against alleged election fraud and the monopoly on power that he and his United Russia party enjoy. ...
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| Iran, big powers agree to hold more nuclear talks in June Posted: 24 May 2012 02:14 PM PDT  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran and world powers agreed to meet again in Moscow next month for more talks to try to end the long-running dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme, but there was scant progress to resolve the main sticking points between the two sides. At the heart of the dispute is Iran's insistence that it has the right to enrich uranium and that economic sanctions should be lifted before it stops activities that could lead to its achieving the capability to make nuclear weapons. Western powers insist Tehran must first shut down enrichment activities before sanctions can be eased. ...
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| Analysis: Argentina faces deficit for first time in years Posted: 24 May 2012 12:44 PM PDT  BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina is on track to end 2012 with a primary budget deficit for the first time since the country started recovering from its sovereign debt default a decade ago, government data suggest. If government spending keeps the pace it has set so far this year, the primary balance will be pushed into the red by January. That would threaten funds needed for the welfare programs and subsidies that lie at the heart of President Cristina Fernandez's popularity. This would come at a time of economic growth constrained by global sluggishness. ...
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| Yemeni army kills 33 militants in south Posted: 24 May 2012 12:52 PM PDT  ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni troops fought Islamist militants in southern cities on Thursday, as the government pressed ahead with a U.S.-backed offensive to help stabilize the impoverished Arab state that has turned into a base for al Qaeda. At least 33 militants were killed in heavy fighting with the Yemeni army on the western outskirts of the city of Jaar, in southern Abyan province, army officials and residents said. Among the dead were a Somali and an Egyptian fighting with the insurgents, they said. ...
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| Brotherhood claims lead as Egypt vote count begins Posted: 24 May 2012 04:35 PM PDT  The Muslim Brotherhood made an early show of confidence as vote counting began in Egypt's landmark presidential election on Thursday, saying its exit polls showed its candidate in the lead in the race to succeed ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.
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| Nuclear talks with Iran set to resume next month Posted: 24 May 2012 01:47 PM PDT  Iran and six world powers wrapped up talks Thursday still far apart over how to oversee Tehran's atomic program, but with resolve to keep dialogue going as an alternative to possible military action.
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| In Egypt vote, families debate on generation lines Posted: 24 May 2012 12:17 PM PDT Arwa el-Hussein, a 20-year-old pharmacy student, has been quarreling with her father for weeks, trying to get him not to back Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister for president. |
| EU running out of time as Greece nears the exit Posted: 24 May 2012 04:23 PM PDT  European leaders insist they want to keep Greece in the eurozone, but are putting off any agreement on how they hope to accomplish that. Greece says it, too, wants to stay in the eurozone, but until after elections it's uncertain whether it can implement the austerity that Europe has set as a condition for doing so.
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| US poised to vet possible arms for Syrian rebels Posted: 24 May 2012 11:11 AM PDT  As one diplomatic effort after another fails to end more than a year of brutal violence in Syria, the Obama administration is preparing a plan that would essentially give U.S. nods of approval to arms transfers from Arab nations to some Syrian opposition fighters.
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| Almost 700 arrested in Canada tuition protest Posted: 24 May 2012 12:49 PM PDT  Nearly 700 people were arrested Wednesday night after a protest over higher university tuition in Quebec erupted into another night of violence.
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| Memo: UK minister lobbied for Murdoch takeover Posted: 24 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT  A British minister in the hot seat for his alleged close ties to Rupert Murdoch's media empire did lobby Prime Minister David Cameron to back the tycoon's bid for satellite broadcaster BSkyB, according to a memo made public Thursday.
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| Rich-poor divide reopens at UN climate talks Posted: 24 May 2012 12:04 PM PDT  U.N. climate talks ran into gridlock Thursday as a widening rift between rich and poor countries risked undoing some advances made last year in the decades-long effort to control carbon emissions that scientists say are overheating the planet.
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| Hurricane warning issued for Mexico ahead of Bud Posted: 24 May 2012 02:07 PM PDT  A hurricane warning has been issued for the coast of Mexico as Bud approaches land.
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| Vatican bank chief ousted in no-confidence vote Posted: 24 May 2012 04:20 PM PDT  The president of the Vatican bank has effectively been ousted after receiving a unanimous vote of no-confidence from bank overseers for having leaked documents and failed to do his job at a critical time in the Holy See's efforts to show financial transparency, the Vatican and officials said.
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