Machine gun, heavy weapons fire heard in flashpoint north Mali town
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Machine gun and heavy weapons fire broke out on Wednesday in the northern Mali town of Kidal, a rebel stronghold where the army has been reinforcing its positions ahead of an expected drive to retake it, an army officer and resident …
China’s Xi issues veiled warning to Asia over military alliances
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to warn some Asian nations on Wednesday about strengthening military alliances to counter China, saying this would not benefit regional security.
Afghan election body sacks thousands over fraud ahead of run-off
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s election commission said on Wednesday it had fired more than 3,000 staff accused of fraud in the first round of the country’s presidential election, as it sought to quell fears that it might fail to deliver a legitimate …
China confronts U.S. envoy over cyber-spying accusations
BEIJING (Reuters) – China summoned the U.S. ambassador after the United States accused five Chinese military officers of hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets, warning Washington it could take further action, the foreign ministry said …
Tymoshenko loses her magic in Ukraine presidential race
KIEV (Reuters) – Campaigning for Ukraine’s presidential election, Yulia Tymoshenko says she alone can save the nation from disaster. It is a refrain that has served her well in the past but the voters no longer seem to be listening.
China sentences 39 on terrorism charges in crackdown
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Wednesday sentenced 39 people to jail terms of up to 15 years on terrorism charges, as authorities crack down on the restive far western region of Xinjiang, hit by a recent string of knife and bomb attacks blamed on Islamis…
South Korean sect submits to search for founder linked to doomed ferry
ANSEONG/INCHEON, South Korea (Reuters) – Hundreds of followers of a religious sect submitted on Wednesday to a search of their rural commune by South Korean authorities seeking the arrest of the head of the family that operated a ferry which capsized l…
Message to Sisi from relatives of Egypt’s mass trial defendants
MINYA, Egypt (Reuters) – Relatives of Egyptians sentenced to death in recent mass trials are urging former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, days before an election he is expected to win, to save their loved ones as proof of his commitment to justice.
Indonesian election presents U.S. with Modi-style visa headache
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The emergence of Prabowo Subianto as a serious contender in Indonesia’s election this week means the United States faces the awkward possibility of having to welcome another Asian leader it had denied entry to because of alleged …
Pakistani fighter jets bomb suspected militant hideouts
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR (Reuters) – Pakistani fighter jets bombed suspected militant hideouts in the tribal region of North Waziristan near the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people, military sources said.
