Turkey’s work on new constitution stutters as opposition pulls out
ANKARA (Reuters) – Two Turkish opposition parties have pulled out of a commission meant to draft a new constitution, in protest at attempts by the ruling AK Party to strengthen the role of the presidency, something keenly sought by President Tayyip Erd…
Turkey’s Erdogan: No intent to stop retaliatory shelling against Syrian Kurds
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey does not intend to stop shelling Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in response to cross-border fire, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, adding the United State should decide whether it wants to back Turkey or the Kurdish i…
Russia, U.S. military to meet on Syria ceasefire this week: Interfax
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Russian foreign ministry said Russian and U.S. military officials will take part in the first meeting on Friday of a working group to discuss implementation of a ceasefire in Syria, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Wedne…
Fall from grace: Philippines’ Pacquiao faces vote boycott for anti-gay comments
MANILA (Reuters) – Gay and lesbian groups have called on voters in the Philippines to boycott boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as he bids for a Senate seat, after he described gays as “worse than animals”.
Suicide bomber kills at least 13 recruits at Yemen army camp
ADEN (Reuters) – A suicide bomber killed at least 13 recruits at a Yemeni army camp run by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government in the southern port city of Aden on Wednesday, medical sources and a security official said.
Jesus does not want you to be hit men, pope tells Mexican youth
MORELIA, Mexico (Reuters) – Saying Jesus would never ask them to be “hit men”, Pope Francis begged young people in Mexico’s gang-infested heartland on Tuesday to shun the lure of easy money and big cars offered by drug traffickers.
Leading Arab journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal dies at 92
CAIRO (Reuters) – Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, the Arab world’s best known political commentator, died on Wednesday at age 92, Egyptian state television reported.
Suu Kyi meets Myanmar’s military chief again as transition talks drag on
YANGON (Reuters) – Aung San Suu Kyi met again with Myanmar’s powerful commander-in-chief on Wednesday, according to a Facebook post by his office, as talks over a protracted political transition drag on and amid reports that the military chief has secu…
Swiss to vote on law aimed at expelling convicted foreigners without appeal
ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland will hold a binding referendum later this month on whether to subject any foreign resident to automatic deportation if convicted of offenses running the gamut from murder to breaking the speed limit.
Cambodia to welcome Chinese warships as Japan navy heads home
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – China will hold its first-ever exercise with Cambodia’s navy next week, in swift succession to a visit by the military vessels of Beijing’s old enemy Japan, the latest sign of China’s growing presence in a region where maritime t…
