Al Qaeda denies reports of militant commander Belmokhtar’s death
CAIRO (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s North Africa branch has denied reports that Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a major figure in insurgencies across North Africa and the Saharan border region, was killed in a U.S. air strike in Libya.
Toyota in damage control mode after American exec arrested
TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp moved into damage control mode on Friday after its new communications chief Julie Hamp, an American and its first senior woman executive, was arrested on suspicion of illegally bringing pain killers into Japan just t…
Hong Kong leader extends economic olive branch after veto
HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s leader extended an olive branch of economic stimulus to the city a day after lawmakers vetoed a Beijing-backed electoral reform package, a move economists warned could undermine business in the Asian financial …
Closed circle, oversized ambition fueled Erdogan miscalculation
ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) – Hovering in his helicopter over a packed parade ground, its perimeter fences brought down to let in thousands more supporters, Tayyip Erdogan seemed at the height of his powers ahead of his election as Turkey’s president las…
Despite obstacles, chances grow for final Iran nuclear deal
NEW YORK/ANKARA/PARIS (Reuters) – Iran is trying to avoid detailed commitments. The French are sticking to their tough line. And U.S. President Barack Obama faces a battle to sell any deal to a skeptical Congress.
Hijacked Orkim Harmony tanker released, pirates escape
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – The hijacked oil tanker Orkim Harmony has been released by pirates, who fled in the ship’s rescue boat, Malaysian navy and maritime officials said on Friday.
Hijacked tanker Orkim Harmony being rerouted to Indonesia
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – The hijacked oil tanker Orkim Harmony is being shadowed by a Malaysian naval ship and has been redirected east to Indonesia’s Natuna Island, and should arrive on Saturday, the Malaysian navy and media said on Friday.
Danish centre-right opposition wins election, PM quits party
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish voters ousted Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt in an election on Thursday and handed power to an opposition centre-right alliance including huge gains for a eurosceptic, anti-immigrant party.
U.S. judge calls case of Russian who joined Taliban a ‘new frontier’
RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) – A federal judge in Virginia in the case of a former Russian army officer accused of fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan asked attorneys in the case on Thursday to focus on whether as a war combatant he was protected from …
Opposition heads for Denmark election victory in boost to far right
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – An opposition centre-right alliance led by former prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen was poised to take power in Denmark after an election on Thursday that also gave a big boost to an anti-immigration, right-wing party.
