New attack by insider deals blow to PM during Indian election
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A new book accuses India’s prime minister of being weak and unable to stamp out corruption on his watch, the second recent attack by an insider that undermines the Congress party as it seeks re-election despite trailing in opinion…
Libya starts trial of ex-Gaddafi officials, sons absent
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libyan prosecutors opened the trial of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi’s sons and more than two dozen of his ex-officials on Monday in a major test for the North African state’s transition to a democracy.
Explosion in northern Tanzania bar injures 15 people
DAR ES SALAM (Reuters) – Fifteen people were injured late on Sunday when a makeshift bomb exploded at a crowded bar in Arusha, a popular destination for Western tourists in northern Tanzania, a senior government official said on state television.
Insight: Israeli gas holds promise of better ties with neighbors
MILAN/LONDON (Reuters) – Israel’s drive to export its new-found natural gas could help to rebuild strained ties with old regional allies Egypt and Turkey, but could deprive Europe of a precious alternative to Russian gas.
Israel says Kerry remarks on Iran nuclear threshold ‘not acceptable’
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel described as “unacceptable” on Monday remarks by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggesting cautious openness to negotiating a nuclear deal that would keep Iran six to 12 months away from bomb-making capability.
Anxious China emerges as diplomatic player in Afghanistan
KABUL/BEIJING (Reuters) – China is quietly preparing for a more robust role in the future of Afghanistan, concerned that the withdrawal of NATO troops will leave a hotbed of militancy on its doorstep.
China tells U.S. to stop ‘gesticulating’ on rights cases
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry told the United States on Monday to stop “gesticulating” in its criticism of China’s treatment of dissidents, after Washington called on Beijing to release a prominent activist.
Gunmen kill Saudi guard near Yemeni border, wound another: media
RIYADH (Reuters) – Unidentified gunmen in Yemen shot dead a Saudi Arabian border guard and wounded another in the early hours of Monday morning, Saudi news websites reported, in what would be the second such incident in five days.
Syria’s Assad says war turning in his favor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that Syria’s three-year conflict was at a “turning point” due to his forces’ military gains against rebels, state media said.
Foreign doctor kidnapped in northern Yemen: local official
SANAA (Reuters) – An armed group kidnapped a foreign doctor in northern Yemen, the Interior Ministry and a local official said on Monday, the latest in a spate of abductions against Westerners in the country.