China says investigating two Canadians in espionage case
DANDONG China (Reuters) – China is investigating a Canadian couple who ran a coffee shop on the Chinese border with North Korea for suspected theft of military and intelligence information and for threatening national security, China’s Foreign Ministry…
U.N. aviation task force on conflict zones to meet August 14-15
(Reuters) – The safety task force formed by the U.N. civil aviation body after the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine will meet for the first time Aug. 14-15 in Montreal, the organization said on Tuesday.
Iran seeks alternative to Maliki to hold Iraq together: sources
ANKARA/BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Regional power broker Iran believes Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is no longer able to hold his country together and is looking for an alternative leader to combat a Sunni Islamist insurgency, senior Iranian officials s…
Egypt plans to dig new Suez Canal costing $4 billion
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt said on Tuesday it plans to build a new Suez Canal alongside the existing 145-year-old historic waterway in a multi-billion dollar project to expand trade along the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.
Turkey’s Erdogan outlines vision for hands-on presidency as election looms
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan made one of his strongest calls yet for the country to “make a jump” towards a presidential system, saying Sunday’s election will nurture people’s enthusiasm for the kind of executive presidenc…
Opposition activist fabricated torture allegations, says Thai junta
BANGKOK (Reuters) – An opposition activist’s claims that she was tortured in military custody were “100 percent fabricated”, Thailand’s ruling junta said on Tuesday, after the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an immediate investigatio…
Troubled Bulgaria names law professor as interim premier
SOFIA (Reuters) – A Bulgarian law professor and former Socialist lawmaker was named caretaker prime minister on Tuesday until the next election, as the Balkan state grapples with the fallout of its worst banking crisis since the 1990s.
Iran seeking successor to Iraqi PM Maliki: official
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran is trying to work with Iraqi factions for a replacement for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a new government in Baghdad but there are few suitable candidates, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.
Japan’s security fears grow as neighbors build up arms
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan finds itself in a worsening security environment as North Korea pushes ahead with missile development and China and Russia step up military activity in the region, Japan’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
From fruit basket to scorched earth, Gaza town changed by war
BEIT HANOUN Gaza (Reuters) – The stench of rotting animal carcasses was in the air as 10-year-old Ahmed al-Kafarna picked through the debris of his Gaza home after a ceasefire began on Tuesday, looking for his toys.
