Catalonia protest strike closes down roads in region
BARCELONA (Reuters) – A strike called across Catalonia by pro-independence activists to protest the jailing of sacked regional politicians shut down roads early on Wednesday, causing huge tailbacks into Barcelona while some public transport ran minimum…
Kremlin warns of mutual damage if Ukraine cuts diplomatic ties
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a reported plan by Ukraine to cut all diplomatic ties with Russia would further deepen a crisis between the two countries and end up hurting the interests of both Ukrainians and Russians.
Kremlin says Putin meeting with Trump at APEC ‘highly likely’
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam this week is “highly likely,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
Short on boots and backing, West Africa force faces uphill battle
SEVARE, Mali (Reuters) – Snipers from a new West African force lie prone on a rooftop in central Mali, scanning the horizon for Islamist militants who have infiltrated this sparsely populated region south of the Sahara and made it a launchpad for deadl…
White House condemns missile attacks on Saudi by Yemen’s Houthis
BEIJING (Reuters) – The White House on Wednesday condemned missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militias on Saudi Arabia, saying they threatened the region’s security and undermined efforts to halt the conflict.
Thailand’s main party urges junta to end ban on political activity
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s Puea Thai Party on Wednesday urged the ruling junta to end a ban on political activity since the 2014 coup, saying it feared a delay could signal that a general election promised for next year might be pushed back yet aga…
UK aid minister facing sack over undisclosed meetings with Israelis: Sun newspaper
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s aid minister Priti Patel’s future was in doubt on Wednesday after the Sun newspaper reported she had held two further undisclosed meetings with Israeli politicians.
UCLA basketball players arrested in China ahead of Trump’s visit: reports
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Three UCLA men’s basketball players were arrested in China for shoplifting on Tuesday, media reports said, a day before U.S. President Donald Trump landed there on his first official visit.
Philippine ombudsman files criminal case against ex-president Aquino
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines’ anti-graft body filed criminal charges against former President Benigno Aquino on Wednesday for mishandling a botched anti-militant raid that resulted in the death of 44 police commandos in 2015.
China, Philippines to draft protocol to avoid maritime ‘miscalculations’
MANILA (Reuters) – China and the Philippines will negotiate a military protocol to avoid maritime “miscalculations”, Manila’s defense minister said on Wednesday, following a brief standoff near a Philippine-occupied island in a disputed part of the Sou…
