Thai junta to explain itself to international rights groups
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s junta said on Monday it had ordered the Thai ambassadors to the United States and Britain to meet human rights groups in an effort to “create understanding” about last month’s seizure of power.
Well-trained and armed, Taliban tried to hijack plane in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Their backpacks stuffed with food and ammunition, a squad of highly trained Taliban fighters attacked Pakistan’s biggest airport in what they clearly expected to be a protracted siege.
Myanmar military ‘tortures civilians’: human rights group
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar security forces “systematically” torture civilians in conflict-racked Kachin state, a rights group said on Monday, the third anniversary of renewed fighting between government forces ethnic minority insurgents in the northern…
Malaysia says spent $8.6 million on search for MH370
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia has spent a total of 27.6 million ringgit ($8.6 million) so far on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, authorities said on Monday, giving a specific cost figure for the first time.
Grillo boosted by local elections in Italy but Renzi party holds
ROME (Reuters) – Beppe Grillo’s 5-Star Movement won control of one of the historic strongholds of the Italian left in local elections at the weekend, although Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s center-left Democratic Party (PD) stayed Italy’s strongest poli…
Fear, loathing sully debate on Scottish independence
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Retired military general Norman Arthur represented Queen Elizabeth in his Scottish neighborhood and is passionate that the country should remain part of the United Kingdom. Stuart Campbell, a pro-independence campaigner based hund…
Libyan parliament to respect court ruling that PM vote unconstitutional: speaker
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s parliament will respect a Supreme Court ruling that the election of Ahmed Maiteeq as prime minister was unconstitutional, a deputy speaker said on Monday.
‘Patriot’s handbook’ may give insight into Putin’s thoughts
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Oleg Makarenko wants to set the story straight and answer the “Russophobes” who he says are trying to split and humiliate Russia.
Egypt PM Mehleb expected to retain position in new government: sources
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb is expected to retain his position in the new government, two government sources said on Monday, a day after Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in as president.
North Korea threatens ‘plot-breeding’ U.N. rights office with ‘punishment’
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea on Monday threatened a planned U.N. field office in South Korea set up to investigate human rights abuses in the isolated country, saying anyone involved would be “ruthlessly punished”.
