China’s secretive military cracks open door for glimpse inside
BEIJING (Reuters) – With dancing robots and smiling soldiers and to the strains of British singer George Michael, China cracked open the door on its secretive armed forces on Tuesday during Beijing’s annual attempt to assuage worries about its growing …
Two Turkish soldiers killed in clash with suspected smugglers near Syria border
DIYARBAKIR (Reuters) – Two Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with suspected smugglers near the Syria border, a local official said on Tuesday, as Turkey faces growing international pressure to police a major access route for European foreign figh…
Fight against domestic violence stalls in patriarchal Turkey
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Beaten, burned and threatened by her husband, Hayat has repeatedly turned to the Turkish authorities for help. But she still lives with the man who tells her she belongs either to him, or in her grave.
Thai junta leader to meet king over interim constitution
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military leader, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, is due to meet the king on Tuesday to secure endorsement from the head of state for an interim constitution, the palace said.
Bodies, black boxes handed over from Ukraine crash site
DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – The remains of some of the nearly 300 victims of the Malaysia Airlines plane downed over Ukraine were making their way to the Netherlands on Tuesday as a senior Ukrainian separatist leader handed over the plane’s black boxes…
Gaza death toll tops 500 as U.S. steps up ceasefire efforts
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The United States, alarmed by escalating civilian bloodshed in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, took a direct role in efforts to secure a ceasefire on Monday, as the Palestinian death toll jumped to more than 500.
South Sudanese rebels in Kampala to mend ties, seek troop withdrawal
KAMPALA (Reuters) – A South Sudanese rebel delegation was due to hold talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala on Tuesday and will ask him to withdraw troops from South Sudan, where they were deployed to help the Juba government, the reb…
EU meeting set to speed, not deepen, sanctions on Russia
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – For all the tough talk, Europe is unlikely to punish Russia over last week’s downing of an airliner over Ukraine beyond speeding up the imposition of already agreed individual sanctions when the bloc’s foreign ministers meet on Tue…
Seven killed in clashes between army and militants in Libya’s Benghazi
BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) – Islamist militants attacked an army base in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Monday, triggering fierce clashes involving helicopters and jets that killed at least seven people and wounded 40 others after days of escalat…
Indonesia to declare winner of hotly contested presidential election
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian election officials were expected on Tuesday to officially declare Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo the winner of a hotly contested presidential election in which his rival has alleged mass cheating.
