Human Rights Watch says Egypt gagging dissent as chiefs denied entry
CAIRO (Reuters) – Human Rights Watch accused Egypt’s government of trying to silence all criticism, after two of its top staff were held at Cairo airport for 12 hours and then denied entry to the country for “security reasons,” the group said on Monday…
China rebuffs U.S. efforts on South China Sea tensions
NAYPYITAW (Reuters) – China appeared to rebuff pressure from the United States to rein in its assertive actions in the South China Sea on Sunday as Southeast Asian nations declined to overtly back Washington’s proposal for a freeze on provocative acts….
U.S. weighs options to evacuate desperate Yazidis from Iraqi mountain
WASHINGTON/EDGARTOWN Mass. (Reuters) – The United States is exploring options to evacuate thousands of Iraqi civilians trapped on a barren mountain in northern Iraq by Islamic militants, after four nights of humanitarian relief airdrops, U.S. officials…
China’s military tells soldiers not to spread rumors
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s military instructed its soldiers on Monday not to believe in or spread rumors and to oppose “political liberalism”, following the fall of a former senior officer who has been accused of corruption.
China detains man in Xinjiang for rumors about deadly attack
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has detained a man in its unruly western Xinjiang region for spreading what it said were Internet rumors about an attack in July in which nearly 100 people were killed, state media said on Monday.
Israel, Palestinians launch new three-day truce
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel and the Palestinians held their fire early on Monday at the start of a new 72-hour ceasefire proposed by Egypt that took effect at 2100 GMT.
Maliki defiant as his special forces deploy in Baghdad
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Special forces loyal to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were deployed in strategic areas of Baghdad on Sunday night after he delivered a tough speech indicating he would not cave in to pressure to drop a bid for a third term, po…
Erdogan’s presidential win starts race for new Turkish government
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s ruling party began deliberations on the shape of the next government on Monday after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan secured his place in history by winning the nation’s first direct presidential election.
Dissident Pakistani cleric to join opposition demonstration
LAHORE/MULTAN Pakistan (Reuters) – Dissident cleric Tahir ul-Qadri who aims to topple Pakistan’s government announced on Sunday that his followers would stage a demonstration in the capital on Thursday, on the same day as an opposition protest led by I…
Saudi Arabia jails four for seeking to fight in Syria
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court has sentenced four men to prison for traveling abroad to fight in Syria’s civil war, local and state media reported on Sunday.
