Closely fought election to test Kyrgyzstan’s fragile stability
BISHKEK (Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan votes in a presidential election on Sunday that is being closely fought between a protege of the outgoing president and an opposition leader, testing stability in a country where two previous leaders were ousted in violen…
China’s most-wanted fugitive jailed for eight years for graft
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese court on Friday jailed the country’s number one most wanted fugitive for eight years for graft and taking bribes, state media said.
Taiwan seeks to build soft power with retooled southbound policy
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan is seeking to boost its regional soft power by throwing its weight behind dozens of companies investing around Asia and by promoting areas such as education and tourism as it looks to reduce its economic reliance on China.
Russia, Saudi Arabia close to sign S-400 missile deal: Ifax cites Putin aide
MOSCOW, MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia and Saudi Arabia are on track to sign a contract on supplies of Russia’s advanced S-400 air defense missiles to Riyadh, the Interfax news agency cited an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying on Friday.
Turkish forces set up positions in Syria’s Idlib: rebel
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Turkey’s military announced on Friday it had begun setting up observation posts in northwest Syria’s Idlib province, part of a deployment that appears partly aimed at containing a Kurdish militia.
New poll shows Philippine president still hugely popular
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte retained a high public approval rating in an opinion poll released on Friday, a stark contrast to a different survey earlier this week that showed a sharp decline in trust and satisfaction in the …
Thai monks receive alms to mark a year since death of King Bhumibol
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand on Friday held a nationwide Buddhist almsgiving ceremony to mark the passage of a year since the death of its revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a father figure to the nation during a reign that spanned seven decades.
Former friend Malaysia halts all imports from North Korea, data shows
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia, which until recently had been one of Pyongyang’s closest friends, has halted all imports from North Korea, as part of global efforts to cut off funding over its nuclear and missile programs.
Trump expected to make U.S. move against Iran nuclear deal: officials
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump is likely to take a major step against the international nuclear deal with Iran on Friday, laying out a more aggressive approach to Iranian activities in the Middle East that risks upsetting U.S. relations …
Latest North Korea earthquake a sign of instability at nuclear test site-experts
SEOUL (Reuters) – A series of tremors and landslides near North Korea’s nuclear test base likely mean the country’s sixth and largest blast has destabilized the region, and the Punggye-ri nuclear site may not be used for much longer to test nuclear wea…
