With eye on Japan, China plans big military parades under Xi: sources
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese troops are rehearsing for a major parade in September where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is expected to unveil new homegrown weapons in the first of a series of public displays of military might planned during Presiden…
China’s President Xi to visit Pakistan this year
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping will visit Pakistan this year in what will be the first trip by a Chinese head of state to its western neighbor in nine years, as Beijing looks to take a bigger role in South Asia.
Sri Lanka minister optimistic about delaying war-crimes report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Thursday he was optimistic about securing a delay in the release of a U.N. report on alleged war crimes during his country’s civil war until the government has had time to e…
Islamic State fighters seize parts of western Iraqi town: officials
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Islamic State insurgents took control on Thursday of large parts of the western Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, threatening an air base where U.S. Marines are training Iraqi troops, officials said.
‘Glimmer of hope’ for Ukraine after new ceasefire deal
MINSK (Reuters) – Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a deal offering a “glimmer of hope” for an end to conflict in eastern Ukraine, but the United States and NATO said further intense fighting on Thursday ran counter to the spirit of the acc…
Greece agrees to talk to creditors in EU debt progress
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Greece agreed on Thursday to talk to its creditors about the way out of its hated international bailout in a political climbdown that could prevent its new leftist-led government running out of money as early as next month.
Ex wife of dead Argentine prosecutor says ‘stop politicizing’ case
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – The investigation into the death of an Argentine prosecutor who leveled criminal charges against the president has become too politicized and needs the involvement of a regional human rights commission, the dead man’s ex wife s…
Colombia’s FARC rebels raise minimum recruitment age to 17
HAVANA (Reuters) – Colombia’s leftist FARC guerrillas announced on Thursday that they would stop recruiting soldiers under 17 years old, the latest in a number of conciliatory steps as peace talks to end five decades of conflict with the government adv…
Violence flares in Venezuela on anniversary of 2014 fatalities
CARACAS/SAN CRISTOBAL (Reuters) – Venezuelan security forces faced off with stone-wielding protesters on Thursday as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro also rallied on the anniversary of last year’s fatal unrest.
Islamic State says it’s holding ‘Israeli spy’ in Syria
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Islamic State said on Thursday it was holding an Israeli Arab who had posed as a foreign fighter in order to spy for Mossad, an account denied by Israel and by the man’s family, who said he had been kidnapped.
