South Korea to send K-pop singers to Pyongyang in late March
SEOUL (Reuters) – A group of South Korea’s K-pop singers will visit Pyongyang from March 31, the South said on Tuesday, a reciprocal visit after North Korea sent performers to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
French ex-president Sarkozy in custody in campaign funding probe: source
PARIS (Reuters) – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was being held in police custody on Tuesday for questioning by magistrates looking into allegations of Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, an official in the French judiciary said.
Norway’s justice minister resigns to prevent minority government collapse
OSLO (Reuters) – Norwegian Justice Minister Sylvi Listhaug, who was almost certain to lose a no-confidence due later on Tuesday, has resigned in a bid to prevent a collapse of the center-right minority government.
Islamic State takes Damascus area after rebels pull out: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State fighters holding a small district in Damascus have gained some ground after driving out Syrian army units that moved into a neighboring area that rebels abandoned last week, a war monitor said.
Maldives to lift state of emergency, charge ex-president, chief justice with bribery
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Maldives President Abdulla Yameen will lift a 45-day state of emergency on Thursday and the government will bring bribery charges against former leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the chief justice, said a senior Maldives diplomat.
Saudi Prince Alwaleed reached secret agreement with government: BBG TV
DUBAI (Reuters) – Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the chairman of Kingdom Holding who spent nearly three months in detention in the kingdom’s anti-corruption campaign, told Bloomberg TV he had reached an agreement with the government for his release.
China’s premier pledges further market opening as talk of trade war mounts
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will open up its economy further, and its door to the outside will only get wider, with foreign and domestic firms allowed to compete on an equal footing, Premier Li Keqiang said at the close the country’s annual parliament se…
China, not North Korea, to dominate Japan military planning
TOKYO (Reuters) – North Korea’s growing missile arsenal might be the most obvious and immediate military threat facing Japan, but defense planners in Tokyo are focused on a much larger and more challenging foe as they prepare for the years ahead.
South Africa appoints acting commissioner for revenue service
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa on Tuesday appointed Mark Kingon as acting Commissioner for its revenue service following the suspension of Tom Moyane, the Treasury said in a statement.
Russia says 79,702 civilians evacuated from Syria’s eastern Ghouta
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The total number of civilians, mostly children, who have been evacuated from Syria’s besieged eastern Ghouta district since the start of a humanitarian operation has risen to 79,702, Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday.
