Syrian army advances in district east of Damascus-monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army and its allies gained control of an arterial road in a small rebel pocket in northeast Damascus early on Monday, bringing them close to splitting the enclave in two, a Britain-based war monitor reported.
Malaysia says talks on with North Korea for return of nine citizens
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia said talks were underway on Monday for the release of nine citizens stranded in North Korea by a travel ban, while its defense minister tried to ease anxieties among the public about the risks of angering an unpredicta…
Japan’s Akie Abe discovers downside of U.S.-style ‘First Lady’ role
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s first lady, Akie Abe, is grappling with the downside of a U.S.-style high-profile role, as a scandal over a murky land deal for a nationalist school to which she had ties provokes rare opposition questions about the spouse of …
Car bomb kills two in Somali capital: police
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A car bomb exploded near a hotel on a busy street in the Somali capital on Monday, killing at least two people, police said.
Relief camp in China swells as thousands flee conflict in Myanmar
NANSAN, China (Reuters) – Within earshot of mortar fire echoing from beyond a ring of hills, a sprawling relief camp in Southwestern China is swelling steadily after fighting erupted last week between a rebel ethnic army in Myanmar and government troop…
Oxford bosses tell UK: protect EU workers or academics will flee
LONDON (Reuters) – University of Oxford bosses said Britain should guarantee the rights of European Union citizens after Brexit or Britain’s oldest university could suffer enormous damage as academics leave.
U.S. VP Pence to tour Asia next month amid security crises
JAKARTA (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan and Indonesia next month, sources said on Monday, as part of an Asian tour amid concerns the Trump administration is rolling back Barack Obama’s “pivot to Asia”.
Palestinian attacker killed by Israeli police in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli border police shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed them at a police station in the old city of Jerusalem on Monday, police said.
Singapore slaps prohibition order against former Goldman Sachs banker
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a 10-year prohibition order on Monday against Tim Leissner, a former director of Goldman Sachs (Singapore) Pte, who it said had made false statements on behalf of his bank without i…
Russia, Turkey, Iran to press ahead with Syria talks: Kazakhstan
ASTANA (Reuters) – Russia, Turkey and Iran are pressing ahead with a fresh round of Syria talks in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said on Monday, despite a request from Syrian rebels to delay the meeting.
