Top technocrat seen as safe hands in Vietnam’s new leadership
HANOI (Reuters) – In a country where factions, loyalties and connections can determine plum political posts, few among Vietnam’s banking community would argue Nguyen Van Binh’s rise to the Communist Party’s politburo is without merit.
Britain says will take U.N. Yemen report ‘extremely seriously’
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Thursday it would take “extremely seriously” the findings of a United Nations report which says British military ally Saudi Arabia could have committed crimes against humanity in Yemen.
Iraqi army learns Ramadi’s lessons in U.S.-led coalition training
BESMAYA, Iraq (Reuters) – U.S.-led coalition forces training Iraqi soldiers to fight Islamic State are applying lessons from last month’s recapture of Ramadi to prepare the army to retake the northern city of Mosul later this year.
Japan’s economy minister resigns over money scandal, denies bribery
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari resigned abruptly on Thursday to take responsibility for a political funding scandal that has rocked the government, but denied having taken bribes.
Syrian opposition yet to decide on talks, awaits answers from U.N.’s Ban: source
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria’s opposition is waiting for a response from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over its demands including an end to bombardments and blockades after Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told them implementation was beyond his powers,…
Turkey’s Kurdish conflict impacting Syria, migrant crises: Demirtas
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The leader of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition said conflict in the country’s largely Kurdish southeast had grown into an international problem, feeding into war in neighboring Syria, and urged allies to do more to push for a ceasef…
Ivorian ex-president pleads not guilty to war crimes
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo pleaded not guilty to charges of planning post-election violence that left 3,000 dead, as his war crimes trial opened at the International Criminal Court on Thursday.
Iran says ‘terrorists in a new mask’ must be barred from Syria peace talks
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Iran said on Thursday it strongly opposed moves by its regional foe Saudi Arabia to allow “terrorists in a new mask” to sit down for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition.
Turkey’s Erdogan says stronger presidency not a matter of personal ambition
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday it was wrong to view his desire for a new constitution and a more powerful presidency as a matter of personal ambition, and that a head of state elected by the people must have more t…
Mass grave in Iraq’s Ramadi holds at least 40 Islamic State victims: officials
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi authorities have uncovered a mass grave in Ramadi containing at least 40 bodies, including women and children, apparently killed by Islamic State insurgents when they seized the city in May, police and provincial officials sai…
