Thai activist jailed for two and a half years for posting BBC article
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A Thai student activist was jailed for two and a half years on Tuesday for posting on Facebook a BBC article deemed offensive to Thailand’s king, his lawyer said.
Former senior al Shabaab leader says militants should leave group
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The one-time deputy leader of Somali Islamist militants al Shabaab called on Tuesday for others to quit the group following his defection to the government side in Mogadishu.
Grace Mugabe back in Zimbabwe after being accused of assault in South Africa
JOHANNESBURG/HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe returned home on Tuesday from South Africa after failing to turn herself in to police in Johannesburg to face accusations of assaulting a model in a hotel room.
Afghan Taliban warns Trump against sending in more troops
KABUL (Reuters) – The Taliban told U.S. President Donald Trump in an open letter on Tuesday that the military situation in Afghanistan was “far worse than you realize”, and sending in more troops would be self-destructive.
Iran says its drones near U.S. vessels are safe, following rules
LONDON (Reuters) – Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) rejected U.S. criticism that it flew a drone unsafely near a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Gulf and it defended its right to carry out air patrol missions in the area.
Saudi Arabia and Iraq to re-open border crossing after 27 years
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia and Iraq plan to open the Arar border crossing for trade for the first time since 1990, when it was closed after the countries cut ties following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, Saudi local media reported on Tuesday…
U.S. sanctions hit Russian hopes of a ‘Trump bump’ for investment
MOSCOW (Reuters) – New U.S. sanctions on Moscow have forced Russian business chiefs to accept that Donald Trump’s rise to power is not about to produce a “Trump Bump” in foreign investment.
Turkey hunts more coup suspects, detains 30 for suspected PKK links
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish police have launched operations to track down 33 former staff of a national scientific research agency who are alleged to have been involved in last year’s failed coup attempt, the state-run Anadolu news agency said on Tuesda…
Philippines says China agrees on no new expansion in South China Sea
MANILA (Reuters) – China has assured the Philippines it will not occupy new features or territory in the South China Sea, under a new “status quo” brokered by Manila as both sides try to strengthen their relations, the Philippine defense minister said….
Nearly 400 bodies recovered from Sierra Leone mudslide: coroner
FREETOWN (Reuters) – Rescue workers have recovered nearly 400 bodies from a mudslide in the outskirts of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown, the chief coroner said on Tuesday, as morgues struggled to find space for all the dead.
