China says Afghan president vows to help China fight militants
BEIJING (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani has pledged to help China fight Islamist militants, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday, after Ghani met President Xi Jinping in Beijing on his first visit abroad since his September inaugu…
EU’s Oettinger: 50 percent chance of Russia-Ukraine gas breakthrough
BERLIN (Reuters) – There is a 50:50 chance of a breakthrough in Wednesday’s round of gas supply talks between Russia and Ukraine, the European Union’s outgoing energy commissioner said.
Thai PM says new DNA tests can be done in British murder probe
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Wednesday challenged critics of a police investigation into the murder of two British tourists saying new DNA tests can be done as concern grows that two men arrested over the killings might …
Lawmaker stripped of China post after calling for Hong Kong leader to step down
HONG KONG (Reuters) – The leader of Hong Kong’s Liberal Party said he would resign on Wednesday, just hours after China’s top parliamentary advisory body expelled him for calling on the city’s embattled chief executive to step down.
From duck eggs to fiscal deficit, the journey by Indonesia’s economics minister
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Born in poverty in a rebel stronghold, Indonesia’s new chief economics minister once sold duck eggs on the street to pay his school fees.
Islamic State fights Syrian army for gas field, kills 30: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State militants in Syria killed at least 30 pro-government fighters in an assault on a gas field that has witnessed some of the bloodiest confrontations between the two sides, a monitoring group said on Wednesday.
French minister says won’t resign over death of protester
PARIS (Reuters) – French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a close political ally of President Francois Hollande, dismissed on Wednesday calls for his resignation after the death of a young ecology protester during clashes with police.
China says Canada’s Harper to visit before APEC summit
BEIJING (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit China next week ahead of a multilateral summit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday, as the two countries seek to mend ties strained by rows over cybersecurity and spy…
Bahraini opposition group suspended for three months
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain has suspended the activities of the country’s main opposition group, Al Wefaq, for three months, a court ruling showed on Tuesday, ahead of a November parliamentary election which the group has already pledged to boycott.
Exclusive: India uncovers suspected plot to assassinate Bangladeshi PM – security officials
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s top counter-terrorism agency has uncovered a suspected plot by a banned militant group to assassinate the prime minister of Bangladesh and carry out a coup, three senior Indian security officials told Reuters on Tuesday.In…