Insurgent group pledges allegiance to al Qaeda’s Syria wing
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An insurgent group fighting in Syria made up of around 1,500 Chechen, Uzbek and Tajik fighters has pledged allegiance to al Qaeda’s Syria wing Nusra Front, a group monitoring the war said on Wednesday.
France urges Saudi Arabia to cancel death penalty for young Shi’ite
PARIS (Reuters) – France called on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday not to execute a Shi’ite Muslim sentenced to death over his role in anti-government protests, saying he was a minor when he was arrested.
Putin opens Moscow’s largest mosque, warns against extremists
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin opened Moscow’s new grand mosque on Wednesday, urging Russia’s Islamic leaders to stand against extremism at a time when some 2,400 Russians are fighting with Islamic State in the Middle East.
Myanmar president broadcasts democratic credentials in election push
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar’s President Thein Sein portrayed himself as a champion of free speech in a video released on Wednesday, adding to speculation he may look to serve a second term as a national election campaign hots up.
After jokes, applause at dinner, China’s Xi gets down to U.S. business
SEATTLE (Reuters) – A day after wooing Seattle’s elite with pop-culture jokes and promises of reform, Chinese President Xi Jinping gets down to business on Wednesday, meeting Apple Inc’s Tim Cook and other top tech executives.
U.S. woman says her detention in China for spy probe is about politics
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – A Houston woman detained in China in a case the unfolded as Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to the United States said she was being held over politics and not for any crime, according to a letter released on W…
Thriving mafia sucks hope from Italy’s struggling south
PALMI, Italy (Reuters) – Most southern Italian businessmen do not cross the ‘Ndrangheta mafia. Gaetano Saffioti did, and paid a high price.
Georgian soldier killed in attack near U.S. base in Afghanistan
KABUL (Reuters) – Insurgents in Afghanistan have killed a Georgian soldier in an attack on NATO forces near a major U.S. air base, NATO and Georgian officials said on Wednesday, a relatively rare death of a foreign soldier since most withdrew last year…
Nepal PM scraps U.N. trip to tackle protests over charter
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Nepal’s prime minister has canceled plans to attend a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, his spokesman said on Wednesday, in order to hold talks to end weeks of protests against a new constitution that have killed mor…
Kerry says Russian support for Assad risks confrontation
ROME (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday Russia’s military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could raise the risk of confrontation with coalition forces fighting Islamic State there.
