Islamic State suicide bomber detonates tank in eastern Syria
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Islamic State suicide bomber detonated a tank at a Syrian air base in the province of Deir al-Zor, one of the last remaining government strongholds in eastern Syria, jihadist social media and a monitoring group said on Friday.
Lack of ideas, leadership in Swedish politics may benefit far right
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s mainstream parties head into March’s snap election unloved by voters and short on seasoned leadership, raising the risk the far-right will increase its support and be able to force a shift in generous immigration policies…
Japan LGBT candidate hopes to raise awareness in election campaign
TOKYO (Reuters) – Taiga Ishikawa has an uphill battle in his bid to become Japan’s only openly gay member of parliament, but hopes his campaign for Sunday’s general election will raise awareness in a nation where gay rights hardly get a nod in the main…
China, Vietnam clash again over South China Sea claims
BEIJING (Reuters) – China and Vietnam have clashed again over competing claims in the South China Sea, after Vietnam submitted its position to an arbitration tribunal initiated by the Philippines over the festering dispute that involves several countri…
Mexico finance minister bought home from government contractor in scandal: WSJ
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s finance minister bought a home from a government contractor who is at the center of a conflict-of-interest scandal embroiling President Enrique Pena Nieto and his administration, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thur…
Sensitive topics off agenda as China’s Li goes overseas
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese Premier Li Keqiang heads to Serbia, Thailand and Kazakhstan next week, but three of the most touchy topics he could encounter are off the agenda, including the fate of Muslims from western China who have fled to Southeast As…
Unable to pay salaries, Afghanistan asks donors for more money
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan does not have enough money to pay salaries this month and has asked aid donors for a bailout before the end of the year, the treasury chief told Reuters on Thursday.
Ukrainian president slams India over Crimean leader visit
SYDNEY/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko lashed out at India on Friday over a visit by the leader of Crimea, the former Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia, who accompanied President Vladimir Putin’s annual summit delegation …
U.S. defends program to fund anti-government hip-hop music in Cuba
MIAMI (Reuters) – The U.S. government financed a four-year effort to promote Cuba’s rap music scene as part of an effort to promote democracy on the communist-run island, federal officials confirmed on Thursday.
In 2003, U.S. experts doubted key Iraq war claim: cable
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A CIA cable disclosed on Thursday showed that U.S. counter terrorism officials in 2003 discounted reports that a leader of the Sept. 11 attacks met an Iraqi intelligence official in Prague just before the attacks, further undermi…
