China enlists citizens to patrol border with North Korea – state media
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is sending civilian militias to help secure the border it shares with North Korea, state media said, in the wake of two reported killings of Chinese citizens by North Koreans that could strain ties between Pyongyang and its so…
Corpses of 16 men discovered in northern Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A search team has discovered 16 corpses in an area of northern Iraq formerly controlled by Islamic State militants, a local official said late on Wednesday.
Driver injures policewoman outside Paris presidential residence: police source
PARIS (Reuters) – Two people were arrested after a motorist injured a policewoman outside French President Francois Hollande’s residence in Paris on Wednesday night, in an incident apparently unconnected to last week’s shootings police sources said.
Philippine Catholic Church struggles with social costs of labour migration
MANILA (Reuters) – Almost 5,000 Filipinos left their homes every day between 2010 and 2013 to seek work overseas, government data shows, most hoping to provide an education for their children and to meet the most basic needs of their families.
China investigates 32 for graft linked to Xinjiang Muslim pilgrims
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is investigating 32 officials from the western region of Xinjiang for graft linked to pilgrimages by Muslims to Mecca, state media said on Thursday.
Taiwan’s Chu to take over ruling party, seen balancing China policy
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Eric Chu will take over as leader of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang (KMT) on Saturday, inheriting an unpopular party seen as favoring big business and the mainland at a time of growing scepticism about ties with Beijing.
Millions of followers, and a storm, await Pope Francis in the Philippines
MANILA (Reuters) – Security fears and a potential storm have Philippine leaders on edge ahead of the arrival on Thursday of Pope Francis on his first visit to Asia’s largest Catholic nation, where millions of people are expected to attend public events…
Obama, Cameron vow to stand firm against Islamist extremists
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed a united front on Wednesday against the threat posed by Islamist extremists and their “distorted ideology.”
Five Yemenis transferred from U.S. custody at Guantanamo: Pentagon
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon transferred five Yemenis held at Guantanamo prison to foreign custody on Wednesday in the first handover of detainees in 2015, sending four to Oman and one to Estonia despite Republican calls for a moratorium on the …
Pope leaves post-war Sri Lanka after preaching reconciliation
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Pope Francis started the second leg of his Asia tour on Thursday, departing from Sri Lanka after a two-day visit in which he preached a message of reconciliation between the country’s different religious groups to huge crowds.
