U.S. to beef up Black Sea presence after Crimea crisis: Hagel
CONSTANTA Romania (Reuters) – The United States will strengthen its presence in the Black Sea region using part of a $1 billion fund promised to NATO allies on Russia’s borders, and will continue to send warships to the area, Defense Secretary Chuck Ha…
Thailand’s junta sidelines pro-Thaksin police, governors
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military is conducting a systematic reshuffle to blunt the power of officials seen as loyal to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in what seems to be an effort to dismantle his support base and ensure he can never return t…
Bosnia arrests three for war crimes near site of biggest mass grave
SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Police arrested three Bosnian Serb former soldiers on Thursday on suspicion of war crimes against Muslim Bosniaks following the discovery last year of what is potentially the largest mass grave of Bosnia’s 1992-95 conflict.
Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine town, residents flee
NEAR SLAVIANSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian government forces battled separatists with artillery and automatic weapons on Wednesday in a second day of fighting in and around Slaviansk, forcing many residents to flee.
French leader dines twice with Obama, Putin seeking Ukraine thaw
PARIS (Reuters) – Criticized at home for a lack of initiative on Ukraine, French President Francois Hollande will hold separate dinners on Thursday with the U.S. and Russian leaders in an attempt to unlock Europe’s worst security crisis since the Cold …
China frees three activists after Tiananmen anniversary
BEIJING (Reuters) – China released on Thursday three activists who had been detained for a month for attending a meeting to commemorate the military suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, their lawyers said.
Snowden’s lawyer says assumes his Russian asylum will be extended
BERLIN (Reuters) – A lawyer for former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden told German radio on Thursday that he expected his client’s asylum in Russia to be extended beyond July.
Freed soldier’s hometown cancels rally amid anger over swap
KABUL (Reuters) – The political uproar over the prisoner swap that won the release of U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity intensified on Wednesday when his hometown canceled plans for a rally celebrating his return amid allegations …
Video shows Vietnam fishing boat sink after collision with Chinese vessel
HANOI/MANILA (Reuters) – Vietnam state television has broadcast video showing a Chinese ship colliding with a small Vietnamese fishing boat which capsizes in its path not far from where China has parked an oil rig in disputed waters.
Yemen says 500 al Qaeda militants, 40 soldiers killed in campaign
SANAA (Reuters) – Five hundred al Qaeda militants and 40 soldiers have been killed since the military launched an offensive against the group in April, Yemeni army spokesman, Colonel Saeed al-Faquih, told a news conference on Thursday.
