Saudi envoy comments on Iraq’s Shi’ite militias draw hostile reactions
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Shi’ite Muslim lawmakers on Sunday accused the new Saudi ambassador of meddling in domestic affairs after he said the presence of Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias in the fight against Islamic State was exacerbating sectarian te…
Malaysia says arrests 7 Islamic State-linked militants suspected of planning attacks
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian police said on Sunday seven members of an Islamic State (IS) cell had been arrested in a three-day operation carried out across the Southeast Asian country.
India, France eye intergovernmental pact to seal $9 billion Rafale deal: Hollande
PARIS (Reuters) – France will sign an intergovernmental agreement with India to clear the way for a long-awaited $9 billion deal to sell French-built Rafale warplanes to India, French President Francois Hollande said on Sunday.
Nepal’s crisis drags on as ethnic minorities reject charter amendment
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Nepal’s ethnic minorities have rejected a constitutional amendment, dashing hopes of an end to a political crisis that has also led to fuel shortages, and hampered deliveries of relief materials to survivors of last year’s earthqu…
Indonesia’s second-biggest party to back President Widodo: website
JAKARTA (Reuters) – The leader of Indonesia’s second-largest political party has said his party will lend support to President Joko Widodo’s government, potentially making it easier to pass legislation by giving it a majority in the house of representa…
Thailand reports second MERS case as virus detected in Omani man
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand has confirmed its second case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus on Sunday, the country’s health minister said.
Wife of missing Hong Kong bookseller says reunited with husband in China
HONG KONG (Reuters) – The wife of one of five missing Hong Kong booksellers said she met with her husband in China, according to a statement released by the Hong Kong police on Sunday amid growing diplomatic pressure on Chinese authorities to clarify t…
Haiti protesters stoke political crisis while powers seek consensus
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Stone-throwing protesters stoked Haiti’s political crisis on Saturday, a day after they forced the Caribbean nation to call off a presidential election and despite calls for consensus from global powers.
Tourist boat sinks off Nicaraguan island killing 13 Costa Ricans
MANAGUA (Reuters) – Thirteen people died on Saturday after a small tourist boat sank amid strong winds off a remote island in the Caribbean sea, Nicaraguan government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said.
Tokyo, Okinawa at odds as U.S. airbase city votes for mayor
TOKYO (Reuters) – Voting began on Sunday for a mayoral election in the Okinawan city that is home to a U.S. airbase whose planned move has set Tokyo and Okinawa at odds, with the central government giving strong backing to the incumbent.
