Indonesia fears piracy surge could turn regional waters into ‘new Somalia’
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia fears piracy on a busy shipping route along its maritime border with the Philippines could hit levels seen in Somalia unless security is tightened, the chief security minister said on Thursday, following a spate of kidnapp…
Thai junta chief accuses former PM Thaksin of stirring protests
BANGKOK (Reuters) – The leader of Thailand’s junta on Thursday accused fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of being behind a series of small anti-junta protests that have flared in the capital this week.
French defense minister says Islamic State can be eradicated
PARIS (Reuters) – The conditions necessary to eradicate Islamic State in Syria and Iraq are “in the process of coming together”, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio on Thursday.
Taiwan, in flip-flop, detains suspects in China-linked telecoms scam
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan prosecutors angered China over the weekend by freeing 20 Taiwanese suspected of defrauding Chinese nationals in a telecoms scam but on Thursday changed their minds, taking most of them into custody on suspicion of committing “…
Australia PM launches cybersecurity campaign
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia set out a far-reaching cybersecurity strategy on Thursday, invoking the leaks of United States whistleblower Edward Snowden, terrorism and even the threat of war to push for a coordinated global approach to protection of on…
Japan’s Abe makes ritual offering at Yasukuni shrine to war dead
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday sent a ritual offering to a controversial Tokyo shrine for war dead, a move that could anger China as the Asian neighbors prepare for a meeting to help smooth ties.
China jails man for espionage over islets disputed with Japan
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has jailed for seven years a man who gave information to an unnamed foreign power about Chinese military and other ships patrolling islets in the East China Sea disputed with Japan, state media said.
China eyes deeper military ties with Afghanistan
BEIJING (Reuters) – China wants to have deeper military ties with Afghanistan, including counter-terrorism intelligence cooperation and joint drills, a senior Chinese officer told a visiting Afghan envoy.
Brazil’s Rousseff going to U.N. over impeachment; cabinet in crisis
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Beleaguered Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will travel to New York in a bid to rally international support against her impeachment, leaving behind a Cabinet paralyzed by political crisis as another minister defected on Wednesda…
Exclusive: Afghan drone war – data show unmanned flights dominate air campaign
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Drones fired more weapons than conventional warplanes for the first time in Afghanistan last year and the ratio is rising, previously unreported U.S. Air Force data show, underlining how reliant the military has become…
