Ex-general’s new role strengthens Pakistani army’s hand in talks
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has appointed a newly retired general as national security advisor, strengthening the powerful military’s role in security policy, talks with archrival India and relations with neighbor Afghanistan, an official said on Fr…
Plenty of diplomacy but slim hope for new Middle East peace push
JERUSALEM/VIENNA (Reuters) – Flare-ups in violence between Israel and the Palestinians have often accelerated peace efforts – the first intifada led into the Oslo accords of the mid-1990s and the second gave rise to the Arab and Geneva peace initiative…
Chinese dissidents accuse UK of ‘shameful’ clampdown on Xi protests
LONDON (Reuters) – Prominent Chinese dissidents accused British police on Friday of being heavy-handed after an exiled Chinese democracy activist and two Tibetan women were arrested at a protest during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Britain.
Colombians pin hopes on new agency seeking missing war victims
BOGOTA (Reuters) – A new agency tasked with finding tens of thousands of Colombians who have disappeared over 51 years of war is a ray of hope for families, but will need political power and plenty of resources to be successful, advocacy groups say.
Germany defends export of tanks to Qatar
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany defended on Friday a decision to allow the export of tanks and artillery to Qatar, saying it was confident the arms would not be used in a war in Yemen between government supporters and the Iran-allied Houthis.
Russia, Jordan agree on military coordination on Syria
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia and Jordan have agreed to coordinate their military actions on Syria by setting up a “special working mechanism” in the Jordanian capital Amman, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
Without a cabinet, Nigeria is stuck ‘on hold’
ABUJA (Reuters) – Seven months after Muhammadu Buhari was elected president on a promise to “fix” Nigeria, a policy vacuum has brought decision-making to a halt, hampering everything from national budget planning to new roads and art exhibitions.
Japan, Turkmenistan sign deals worth over $18 bln in chemicals, energy
ASHGABAT (Reuters) – Japan and Turkmenistan on Friday signed deals worth over $18 billion on a package of projects in the energy-rich central Asian nation, which has become an important supplier of natural gas to China.
China hopes to see a united EU, Xi tells Britain on visit
MANCHESTER, England/BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Britain he wants to see a united European Union, in his most direct comments on Britain’s relationship with Europe before the country’s EU membership referendum.
Ruling party faces tough challenge in Tanzanian election
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – Tanzania’s ruling party faces its toughest election test on Sunday in more than half of a century in power as it seeks to fend off a presidential bid by a former prime minister who has vowed to create jobs that will help the p…
