Indonesian president’s advisers urge him to drop police chief pick
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A team of advisers appointed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged him on Wednesday to withdraw his nomination for national police chief after the anti-graft agency declared the candidate a suspect in a bribery case.
Kazakhstan bans rallies, fearing Ukraine-style turmoil: U.N. report
ALMATY (Reuters) – Kazakhstan says it has clamped down on peaceful rallies out of fear of a repeat of the protests that brought chaos to Ukraine, a United Nations special rapporteur said in a critical report on the central Asian state.
Putin eyes benefits as rebels gain in Ukraine
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Boxed into a corner by a financial crisis and the West’s refusal to drop sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has come out fighting.
U.S. provides more aid to Ukraine, threatens to step up sanctions on Russia
KIEV (Reuters) – The United States signed an agreement on Wednesday to provide $2 billion in loan guarantees to help war-torn Ukraine with “near-term social spending” in 2015 and said it was prepared to step up economic sanctions against Russia if nece…
Israeli jets strike back after Syria’s Golan attack: Israeli army
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli airforce jets struck Syrian army artillery positions near the Israel-occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, the military said, in retaliation for rockets launched in the area the previous day.
Obama, Merkel want Russia held accountable for violence in Ukraine
BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed their concern about Russia’s role in rising violence in eastern Ukraine in a phone call late on Tuesday and agreed on the need for funds to stabilise the Ukrai…
Indonesia’s search for AirAsia crash victims could end in days
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s search for dozens of victims still unaccounted for from last month’s crash of an AirAsia passenger jet could end within days if no more bodies are found, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Doubts arise over crucial Philippine autonomy law after rebel clash
MANILA (Reuters) – Work to set up an autonomous Muslim region in the Philippines to end a 45-year insurgency has been suspended and may be abandoned altogether because of a clash in which more than 50 people were killed, legislators said on Wednesday.
Mozambique says death toll rises after heavy flooding
MAPUTO (Reuters) – More than 100 people have been killed and 150,000 displaced by floods in Mozambique, a senior government official said on Wednesday, as southern Africa counts the human and economic costs of this month’s torrential rains.
U.S. to work with allies ‘to increase pressure on Russia’: Treasury Secretary Lew
KIEV (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday signed an agreement providing war-torn Ukraine with $2 billion in loan guarantees to help it with “near-term social spending” in 2015 and said it was prepared to step up sanctions against Russia if necess…
