Islamic State destroys ancient shrines in Syria’s Palmyra city
AMMAN (Reuters) – Islamic State militants have blown up two ancient shrines they consider sacrilegious in Palmyra, a 2,000-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site in central Syria, the ultra hardline Sunni Muslim group said on Tuesday.
New U.N. goals lack focus, global health experts warn
WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Shrinking aid dollars threaten the major advances made over the past decade in fighting disease and preventable deaths, a task that will grow even more difficult under new United Nations’ development goals, exp…
China says economic losses from drug abuse hit $81 billion a year
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Wednesday gave its first-ever assessment of the scourge of drug abuse, saying it caused annual economic losses of 500 billion yuan ($80.54 billion) and as many as 49,000 deaths last year.
China invites former soldiers in Taiwan to war commemorations
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will welcome former soldiers living in Taiwan who fought against Japan in World War Two to take part in commemorations marking 70 years since the end of the conflict in Asia, state media said on Wednesday.
China seizes $483 million of smuggled meat, some 40 years old: China Daily
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese customs have seized around 3 billion yuan ($483 million) worth of smuggled meat, some more than 40 years old and rotting, the official China Daily said on Wednesday, the latest in a grim series of food safety scares.
Anti-Houthi forces in Yemen seize Saudi border crossing
SANAA (Reuters) – Army forces loyal to Yemen’s exiled president seized a border crossing with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, officials in the area and witnesses said, dealing a rare blow to the country’s dominant Houthi group.
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy street camps come to a quiet end
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong authorities began clearing away the last pro-democracy encampments near government headquarters on Wednesday, watched by a handful of demonstrators in a quiet but poignant end to nine months of street protests.
Australian government to strip extremists’ children of citizenship
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Australian government will be able to strip the children of extremists fighting overseas of Australian citizenship under controversial legislation introduced into parliament on Wednesday.
U.S. airs deep concerns over cyber security in China meetings
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said on Tuesday that cyber theft sponsored by the Chinese government was a major problem and stressed the need to keep Asian sea lanes open as the world’s two biggest economies held annual talks aimed at maintai…
U.S. charges 17 members of Colombia gang with drug trafficking
BOGOTA (Reuters) – The United States announced charges against 17 members of Colombia’s biggest criminal gang, Clan Usuga, on Tuesday for alleged involvement in drug trafficking and other crimes after a joint investigation with Colombian authorities.
