Maldives’ embattled president sends envoys to China, Saudi for support
MALE (Reuters) – The embattled president of the Maldives has sent envoys to friendly nations such as China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to brief them on a political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation that spurred the imposition of a state of emergency, hi…
African Union says has no secret dossiers after China spying report
BEIJING (Reuters) – The African Union does not have any secret dossiers and nothing to spy on, a senior official said in Beijing on Thursday, rejecting a report in French newspaper Le Monde that Beijing had bugged the regional bloc’s headquarters in Ad…
Earthquake-hit Taiwan city still on edge as rescuers hunt survivors
HUALIEN, Taiwan (Reuters) – Scores of aftershocks hampered rescue efforts on Thursday as emergency personnel combed through collapsed buildings in search of survivors after a powerful earthquake killed at least nine people near Taiwan’s tourist city of…
North Korea says no U.S. talks planned at Olympics as Pence lands in Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – North Korea has no intention of meeting U.S. officials during the Winter Olympics that start in South Korea on Friday, state media reported, dampening hopes the Games will help resolve a tense standoff over the North’s nu…
Philippines says Hague court weighs complaint against Duterte over drug war deaths
MANILA (Reuters) – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has told the Philippines that it has begun a preliminary examination of a complaint accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of crimes against humanity, his spokesman said on Thursday.
Bangladesh police fire tear gas to scatter opposition protesters
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh police used tear gas on Thursday to disperse thousands of opposition activists who took to the streets of the capital ahead of the verdict in a graft case against a former prime minister.
Leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran to discuss Syria in Istanbul: Turkish source
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey and Russia agreed on Wednesday that their next three-way summit with Iran to discuss the conflict in Syria will be held in Istanbul, a Turkish presidential source said.
Merkel under fire from own ranks over German coalition deal
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel faced criticism from within the ranks of her own conservatives on Thursday for making concessions to her center-left Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners to seal a governing alliance a day earlier.
North Korea says no U.S. talks planned at Olympics as Pence heads to Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – North Korea has no intention of meeting U.S. officials during the Winter Olympics that start in South Korea on Friday, state media reported, dampening hopes the Games will help resolve a tense standoff over the North’s nu…
Exclusive: Uighur Thai jail escapees detained in Malaysia and China wants them back – sources
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Eleven ethnic Uighur Muslims from China, missing since their dramatic escape from a Thai jail last year, have been detained in Malaysia and Beijing wants them back, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
