Aquino takes responsibility for bungled mission in Philippines, but no apology
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday took responsibility for a bungled security operation in January that left 44 police commandos dead, but offered no public apology for the clash that has become his biggest political cri…
Philippines says to resume works in disputed South China Sea
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines said on Thursday it would resume repair and reconstruction works in the disputed South China Sea after halting activities last year over concerns about the effect on an arbitration complaint filed against China.
Pakistan militant spokesman phones to deny death
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – A spokesman for Pakistani militant group called journalists on Thursday to assure them he was alive after Pakistani intelligence officials claimed he was among 30 fighters killed in air strikes in the northwestern…
Distrust clouds vision of Kurdish peace in Turkey
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Kurds applauded last weekend’s call from their jailed rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan to end a 30-year armed struggle against Turkey but deep suspicions on both sides could shatter dreams of peace.
Four suspected rebels dead after military raid in Thai south
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai police killed four suspected Muslim separatists after raiding the hideout of an insurgent group operating in Thailand’s restive south, police said on Thursday.
Costa Rica fires ambassador in Venezuela after vocal support of Maduro
SAN JOSE (Reuters) – Costa Rica fired its ambassador in Venezuela after the diplomat gave an interview in which he defended the Venezuelan government, the Central American country said on Wednesday.
Asylum seekers in the West highest since Bosnia war: UNHCR
GENEVA (Reuters) – Wars in Syria and Iraq drove the number of people requesting asylum in industrialized countries to a 22-year high last year, the United Nations said on Thursday, appealing for Western nations to open their doors to more refugees.
Vietnam industrial zone accident kills 14, 30 injured
HANOI (Reuters) – – Vietnamese soldiers and police joined a rescue mission on Thursday searching for survivors after a huge scaffolding collapsed, killing 14 workers and injuring 30 in central Vietnam, the government and state television said.
Chinese police raid office of prominent NGO: co-founder
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese police officers raided the office of a prominent non-governmental organization in Beijing this week, seizing laptops and details of contacts, its co-founder said on Thursday, the latest target of China’s crackdown on dissent…
China’s Xi says miscarriages of justice must be tackled properly
BEIJING (Reuters) – Miscarriages of justice must be properly tackled or it will damage the country’s efforts to boost the rule of law, state media quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as saying, following a series of embarrassing cases that have incited…
