Islamist fighters advance in Syria despite U.S. strikes
DAMASCUS/MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) – U.S. planes pounded Islamic State positions in Syria for a second day on Wednesday, but the strikes did not halt the fighters’ advance in a Kurdish area where fleeing refugees told of villages burnt and captives …
Vietnam welcomes efforts by U.S. to end its weapons embargo
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Vietnam would welcome an end to the arms embargo clamped on it by the United States, the country’s foreign minister said on Wednesday, as he played down the notion that the move would inflame Hanoi’s maritime dispute with China.
Qatar, a partner in U.S. airstrikes, says Syrian regime main problem
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Qatar, which provided support for U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria this week, urged the international community to confront the Syrian regime, highlighting pressure by some of Washington’s Gulf Arab allies to widen its campaign against Islamic State.
Mexico lawmaker likely killed by drug cartel: prosecutor
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican federal congressman Gabriel Gomez, the most high-profile politician murdered in recent years, was likely executed by a drug cartel, a state prosecutor said on Wednesday.
With canal and hut, India stands up to China on disputed frontier
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Earlier this month, the Indian army stationed on a remote Himalayan plateau built a small observation hut from where they could watch Chinese soldiers across a disputed border.
In historic U-turn, Mexico to join U.N. peacekeeping missions
NEW YORK (Reuters) – After years of keeping out of the world’s conflicts, Mexico said on Wednesday it was ready to take part in United Nations peacekeeping missions, as the government steps up efforts to raise its profile on the global stage.
Dissident artist Ai Weiwei brings exhibit to Alcatraz
ALCATRAZ (Reuters) – One of China’s most famous dissidents has appropriated the United States’ most famous former prison as a way to highlight the plight of activists held in detention.
For Australian Muslims, security crackdown is code for racial profiling
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Prominent Australian Muslims say their community is being unfairly targeted by law enforcement and threatened by right-wing groups, as the government’s tough new policies aimed at combating radical Islamists threaten to create a back…
China’s anti-graft drive puts the squeeze on Macau junkets
MACAU (Reuters) – Macau’s casino junket operators are feeling the squeeze as China’s anti-corruption drive has blown a hole in the world’s biggest gambling hub. Some are shifting players elsewhere, like the Philippines and Vietnam; others are quitting …
U.S. says still assessing fate of Khorasan figure after air strike
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is still assessing whether or not Mohsin al-Fadhli, a senior figure of the al Qaeda-linked Khorasan group, was killed in a U.S. air strike in Syria, government officials said on Wednesday.
