Istanbul gun attack heightens violence fears ahead of local polls
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Unidentified assailants opened fire with rifles on the offices of a leading Istanbul mayoral candidate late on Monday, a day after a opposition party official was shot dead, raising concerns about violence ahead of March local elec…
Iraq will take action if Kurds export oil before deal reached
LONDON (Reuters) – Iraq will take action, including fiscal measures, if the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) exports oil before an agreement is reached with Baghdad, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain al-Shahristani said at a conference in Lon…
EU meets Russia for ‘clear the air’ talks with Putin
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and the European Union’s top two officials were set to hold “clear the air” talks in Brussels on Tuesday after months of growing tension over Ukraine and trade and energy disputes.
U.S. anger over Afghan prisoner release deepens divide
WASHINGTON/KABUL (Reuters) – The United States warned the Afghan government on Monday against releasing prisoners that Washington says should be tried as dangerous militants, the latest dispute to inflame U.S.-Afghan relations.
Al Qaeda-linked rebels bomb Syrian defense minister’s town
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A suicide bomber from an al Qaeda-linked rebel group killed 13 soldiers in an attack on the Syrian defense minister’s hometown, an opposition monitoring group said on Tuesday.
Nigerian authorities free opposition deputy leader on bail
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) on Tuesday freed the deputy head of the main opposition coalition on bail, a day after he was detained over comments he is reported to have made warning of violence in next year’s presidential po…
Ousted Egyptian president Mursi in court for jail break trial: state TV
CAIRO (Reuters) – Deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood went on trial at a Cairo police academy on Tuesday on charges in connection with a mass jail break during the 2011 uprising, state television reported
Prominent Chinese rights activist to appeal sentence
BEIJING (Reuters) – One of China’s most prominent rights activists will appeal against a four-year prison sentence that prompted international criticism, his lawyer said on Tuesday, because he believes his conviction could set a bad precedent for other…
Japan revises teaching manuals, says islands its territory
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan said on Tuesday it was revising teaching manuals to make clear that two sets of remote islands at the center of disputes with China and South Korea are integral parts of its territory, prompting protests from an angry Seoul and …
Taiwan, China to hold historic talks, but avoid sensitive issues
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s chief policymaker on China will meet his mainland counterpart in China in February in what will be the highest-level official talks between the two sides since 1949, but said on Tuesday he would not discuss “sensitive politi…
