Brother of China’s premier steps down as deputy head of tobacco monopoly
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s brother stepped down on Wednesday as deputy head of a powerful tobacco monopoly, removing a potential conflict of interest as the world’s largest tobacco user battles a major health crisis.
Australian anti-terror police say imminent IS-linked attack thwarted
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian counter-terrorism police said on Wednesday they had thwarted an imminent attack linked to Islamic State after arresting two men in Sydney and seizing knives, a video and a flag associated with the militant group.
How the Houthis drove Yemen into a political vacuum
SANAA (Reuters) – When Yemen’s Houthi fighters scaled the rooftops surrounding former president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s home, killed his guards and put him under house arrest, they left no doubt that negotiating a political settlement with them would …
Mexico detains brother of ex-governor over alleged embezzlement
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican authorities said on Tuesday they had detained the brother of a former governor of Mexico’s restive western state of Guerrero for his role in an alleged scheme to embezzle 287 million pesos ($19.19 million) from public co…
China says resignation of top Taiwan official won’t affect ties
BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese government said on Wednesday that the resignation of the head of Taiwan’s China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council, would not affect the normalization of ties which has gathered momentum since 2008.
China’s President Xi to visit U.S. in September: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the United States in September, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
Australia tightens rules over foreign buying of agricultural land
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia tightened rules on Wednesday over foreign ownership of its agricultural land amid concerns that it is losing control of its own food security, slashing the amount beyond which land purchases would require regulatory approva…
Foreign fighters still flowing to Syria, U.S. intelligence says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of foreign fighters traveling to join the Islamic State or rival militant groups in Syria is continuing to grow, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official will tell a congressional hearing on Wednesday.
American hostage Mueller’s family, U.S. government say she is dead
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. aid worker Kayla Mueller, held hostage by Islamic State militants for 18 months, is dead, her family said on Tuesday, but the circumstances were unclear and President Barack Obama vowed to hunt down the culprits.
Obama to bring back most U.S. troops fighting Ebola in Africa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama is set to announce on Wednesday that he will bring back nearly all of the 1,300 U.S. troops deployed in West Africa to fight the Ebola epidemic by April 30, the White House said late on Tuesday.
