Tag "3"

Syria seeks UN help with nuclear material

War-torn Syria has asked the UN atomic watchdog for help in converting a nuclear facility and shipping abroad potentially dangerous nuclear material, the head of the watchdog said Monday. “We have received a request from Syria early this year… We are studying the request,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano told reporters. The assistance would entail converting a small reactor near Damascus so that it can be fuelled with

Independent makes history in Mexico governor race

A foul-mouthed rancher nicknamed “El Bronco” shook up Mexico’s midterm elections, riding a wave of discontent with political parties to become the first independent to win a governorship. The victory of Jaime Rodriguez Calderon in the industrial northern state of Nuevo Leon was the biggest surprise in Sunday’s elections for the lower chamber of Congress, hundreds of mayors and nine governors. “Nuevo Leon will be the beginning of a second

Obama says Russian troops operating in Ukraine, sanctions biting

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that Russian forces continue to operate in eastern Ukraine despite Moscow’s denials and the world’s major industrial democracies stood ready to impose significantly tougher sanctions if necessary. Obama told a news conference after a Group of Seven industrial nations’ summit in Germany that existing sanctions would remain in place until Moscow and Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine fully respected a ceasefire agreement negotiated

G7 warns Russia of more sanctions, pledges climate action

World leaders Monday warned Russia it would face stepped-up sanctions for its “aggression” in Ukraine, as they wrapped up a G7 meeting also pledging strong action to fight climate change. For the third time, Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin was barred from a G7 summit due to what US President Barack Obama termed his “aggression in Ukraine”, as the Group of Seven top powers closed ranks against Russia. “We … stand