Top Chinese former planning official ‘under investigation’
BEIJING (Reuters) – A former director at China’s powerful economic planning agency who oversaw pricing is being investigated, financial news magazine Caixin reported on Wednesday, the latest high-level official from the department to be probed.
Japan PM Abe sent condolences to memorial for convicted war criminals
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a condolence message to a ceremony honoring “martyrs” convicted as war criminals after World War Two, his top spokesman said on Wednesday, news that could snarl efforts to thaw chilly ties with …
U.S. suspect in Bali suitcase murder of mother appoints new lawyer
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A U.S. teenager detained in Bali in connection with the grisly death of her mother has hired a new Indonesian lawyer on the advice of her U.S.-based legal team, her police-appointed attorney said.
Silva surges in Brazil election race, threatens Rousseff
BRASILIA (Reuters) – A surging Marina Silva has narrowed President Dilma Rousseff’s lead in Brazil’s presidential race, a new opinion poll showed on Tuesday, paving the way for a likely second-round runoff in which the popular environmentalist looks we…
Libyan raids could herald bolder Arab action as U.S. wavers
DUBAI (Reuters) – Air strikes against Libyan Islamist militants that U.S. officials had said were staged by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates could mark an escalation of a regional struggle over the future of the Arab world.
Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s chief assassin freed from jail
BOGOTA (Reuters) – One of Colombia’s most feared drug cartel assassins walked free on Tuesday after serving 22 years in jail for scores of murders ordered by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar during the cocaine trafficking heyday of the 1980s, police s…
China rejects Taiwan’s complaint about breach of airspace
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has rejected Taiwan’s claim that two Chinese military aircraft had breached Taiwan’s airspace four times, saying it was a “routine flight”.
U.N. agency to launch plan for warning airlines of risks in conflict zones
(Reuters) – The United Nations’ civil aviation body will launch two pilot projects designed to help airlines and states better share information about risks in conflict zones, the organization said on Tuesday, nearly six weeks after a Malaysian airline…
U.S. backs off statement that Egypt, UAE were behind Libya air strikes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department on Tuesday backed off an earlier statement that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates were behind air strikes on Islamist militants in Libya.
China’s top judge lauds Zhou corruption probe: state media
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s top judge has said the ruling Communist Party’s decision to investigate former senior leader Zhou Yongkang demonstrates clearly that no party member is above the law, the semi-official China News Service reported.