Russia adds four new countries to food import ban list
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has added Albania, Montenegro, Liechtenstein and Iceland to a list of countries from which it has banned most food imports in retaliation for Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev sa…
Myanmar ruling party chief sacked in power struggle with president
NAPYITAW (Reuters) – Myanmar’s powerful ruling party chief Shwe Mann has been ousted from his post, party members said on Thursday, apparently after losing a power struggle with President Thein Sein three months before a general election.
Afghan team due in Pakistan to discuss reviving Taliban peace talks
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Afghan officials are due in Pakistan on Thursday to discuss reviving suspended peace talks with the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan’s national security adviser said, days after Taliban attacks killed dozens of people in Kabul.
Israel says addressing Jordan concerns on new airport near border
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel is in talks to resolve Jordan’s misgivings about potential safety risks posed by the construction of a new Israeli airport near their border, the Israeli transport minister said on Thursday.
Swedish prosecutor drops three Assange cases, rape case to continue
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish prosecutors said on Thursday they would push on with an investigation into an allegation of rape made in 2010 against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after dropping probes into three other allegations as they had run out …
Turkey does not plan to send ground forces to Syria: foreign minister
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey does not expect to deploy ground forces in Syria to fight Islamic State but that option should remain on the table, Foreign Minister Mevult Cavusoglu said on Thursday.
Chinese Tiananmen Square dissident says seeking asylum in Taiwan
TAIPEI (Reuters) – A Chinese political dissident who supported Tiananmen Square protesters after the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy activists is seeking asylum in Taiwan after arriving last month as a tourist and overstaying his permit, he said…
Kurdish militants attack Turkish security outposts, seven killed
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Kurdish militants launched attacks on military outposts in eastern Turkey overnight and seven of their fighters were killed in ensuing clashes with security forces, the Turkish armed forces said on Thursday.
Islamic State says in broadcast that it killed Croatian hostage
CAIRO (Reuters) – The militant group Islamic State said in an audio broadcast on Thursday that its Egyptian affiliate had killed a Croatian hostage, a day after a photograph of a beheaded corpse purported to be that of the Croat was circulated by the g…
Pakistani foreign policy chief confirms to visit India on August 23
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s foreign policy chief will visit India for security talks on Aug. 23, he said on Thursday, in the rivals’ first attempt in months to restart efforts to improve ties despite intermittent violence on their border.
