Before defecting, North Korean waitresses shopped for backpacks
NINGBO, China (Reuters) – Two days before they sought asylum in South Korea, the North Korean waitresses in the Chinese coastal city of Ningbo shopped for backpacks at a nearby store and paid relatively expensive full prices.
Media watchdog calls on Turkey to catch IS killers of Syrian journalist
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A prominent media advocacy group on Wednesday called on Turkish authorities to protect journalists after a Syrian reporter was gunned down in broad daylight by Islamic State militants in southeastern Turkey – the fourth such in six…
Kyrgyz parliament elects Sooronbai Zheenbekov as prime minister
BISHKEK (Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan’s parliament elected Sooronbai Zheenbekov, an ally of President Almazbek Atambayev, as prime minister in a unanimous vote on Wednesday.
Exclusive: Philippines, Vietnam to explore joint patrols in South China Sea – sources
MANILA (Reuters) – Defense officials from the Philippines and Vietnam will meet this week to explore possible joint exercises and navy patrols, military sources said, shoring up a new alliance between states locked in maritime rows with China.
Taiwanese deported from Kenya ‘suspected of fraud in China’
BEIJING (Reuters) – A group of Taiwanese deported from Kenya to China after being acquitted in a cyber crime case are wanted for suspected fraud in China, the Chinese government said on Wednesday, in a case that has enraged Taiwan which has accused Bei…
China summons G7 envoys over South, East China Seas statement
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it has summoned in envoys from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies to complain about a statement their foreign ministers issued this week opposing provocation in the East and South C…
UK minister who knew press had sex worker story on him denies it influenced policy
LONDON (Reuters) – A British minister has denied that his decisions on press regulation were in any way influenced by the fact that he had found out that several newspapers had information about his past relationship with a sex worker.
Belgium releases three people held on Tuesday over Paris attacks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgian prosecutors said three people detained on Tuesday in Brussels over November’s deadly attacks in Paris were released by a judge on Wednesday.
U.S. military says using cyber capabilities against Islamic State
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (Reuters) – The U.S. military is dropping “cyber bombs” on Islamic State for the first time as part of a stepped-up coordinated effort that has put increasing pressure on the militant group, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert…
Closures and court cases leave Turkey’s media increasingly muzzled
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Metin Yilmaz, editor-in-chief of the Sozcu newspaper, one of the most outspoken critics of the government in the Turkish media, says he is weighing his words more carefully these days.
