Lebanon’s Hariri backs Aoun for president, some allies opposed
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri intends to endorse Michel Aoun for the vacant presidency, senior political sources said, and the Hezbollah ally could be elected head of state later this month.
Malaysia detains ruling party official over race riot threat
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia on Wednesday detained a ruling party official over an alleged clash with supporters of a democracy group and a threat to spark race riots, as tension mounts ahead of a rally planned for next month to demand that the pr…
Death toll in attack on southern Somali town rises to 11
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A suicide car bomb and gun attack in the Somali town of Afgoye on Tuesday killed 11 people, including government employees, an official said, raising the initial death toll from four.
South Africa’s anti-graft watchdog to keep Zuma report until court case heard
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – The new head of South Africa’s anti-graft watchdog said on Wednesday she would not release a report on allegations of political interference by President Jacob Zuma’s allies pending completion of a court case on the matter.
We don’t expect breakthroughs at Berlin talks on Ukraine: Kremlin
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Wednesday it did not expect any breakthroughs at talks on the stalled Ukrainian peace process between the leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine in Berlin later in the day.
Turkish police kill suspected Islamic State suicide bomber in capital
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish police shot dead a suspected Islamic State militant overnight who was believed to be planning a suicide bomb attack in the capital Ankara, the city’s governor said on Wednesday.
Afghan troops causing more civilian casualties, U.N. says
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan civilians are paying the price for increased fighting in populated areas around the country, the United Nations reported on Wednesday, with government troops responsible for a growing share of civilian casualties.
Thailand sees a jump in royal defamation cases after death of king
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai police are investigating 12 new complaints of royal defamation on social media lodged since the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej last week, a sharp rise amid intensifying scrutiny of anything deemed offensive to the monarchy.
Moscow vows to hit back in row over Russian TV channel’s UK accounts
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has promised to retaliate against Britain after a British state-owned bank said it was withdrawing its services from Kremlin-backed Russian broadcaster RT.
Government must rid Aleppo of ‘terrorists’ to protect civilians: Assad
ZURICH (Reuters) – Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad told a Swiss TV station that government forces had to rid the city of Aleppo of rebel “terrorists” under its constitutional mandate to protect the civilian population.
