Kremlin says it disagrees with Trump’s assessment of Iran
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Monday it did not agree with U.S. President Donald Trump’s assessment of Iran as “the number one terrorist state” and wanted to deepen what it described as already good ties with Tehran.
France’s Fillon to launch fightback against scandal
PARIS (Reuters) – French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon will launch a fightback on Monday against the fake-job scandal that threatens his campaign, a source close to him said.
China welcomes Mattis’ emphasis on South China Sea diplomacy
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Monday welcomed U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ suggestion that diplomacy should be the priority in the South China Sea, and that major U.S. military action was not being considered to contend with China’s assertive beha…
Youtube comments could bring tougher sentence for U.S. woman in Bali suitcase murder
DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) – Prosecutors in Indonesia are examining online video comments by a U.S. woman jailed for 10 years over the 2014 murder of her mother on the resort island of Bali to decide if they justify a stiffer sentence, authorities s…
China protests U.S. sanction list on Iran that hits Chinese firms
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Monday said it had “lodged representations” with the United States over Washington’s new sanctions list targeting Iran, which includes Chinese companies and individuals.
Thailand says royal insult suspects in Laos made death threats against PM
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai people wanted for breaking a law on insulting the monarchy have issued death threats against the Thai prime minister, from Laos where they have fled to avoid arrest, Thailand’s top security officer said on Monday.
Deleted postings about missing Chinese billionaire hint at tensions
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Scores of China social media postings about a well-connected billionaire who went missing from a Hong Kong hotel have been deleted, pointing to what appears to be heightened sensitivity in Beijing over the case of Xiao Jianhua.
Islamic State, air strikes help drive spike in Afghan civilian casualties: U.N.
KABUL (Reuters) – Civilian casualties in Afghanistan rose to new highs in 2016, driven by more Islamic State attacks, the most deaths and injuries from air strikes since 2009 and a rising toll of child victims of unexploded ordnance, the United Nations…
Somalia’s al Shabaab executes four men accused of spying
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Al Shabaab militants in Somalia publicly beheaded four men accused of spying for the country’s Western-backed government, the United States and neighboring Kenya, residents in the south of the Horn of Africa country said.
Russia, Turkey, Iran discuss Syria ceasefire implementation in Astana
ASTANA (Reuters) – Experts from Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations have started a technical meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, to discuss in detail the implementation of the Syrian ceasefire agreement, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said …
