Kerry returns to Middle East to push flailing peace talks
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke from his travel schedule for the second time in a week to rush back to the Middle East on Monday to try to salvage Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
China charges former senior military officer with graft: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has charged former senior army officer Gu Junshan with corruption, state news agency Xinhua said on Monday, in what is likely to be the country’s worst military scandal since a vice admiral was jailed for life for embezzlement…
Bahrain jails 13 for life over protest, attack: lawyer
MANAMA (Reuters) – Thirteen Bahrainis were sentenced to life in prison after they were convicted of trying to kill two policemen by attacking their vehicle and of taking part in an illegal protest, their lawyer said on Monday.
French left urges Hollande to drop reforms
PARIS (Reuters) – The left wing of President Francois Hollande’s Socialist party urged him to take heed of a stinging defeat in local elections by abandoning pro-business reforms and public deficit targets imposed by the European Union.
Italy PM Renzi says will quit if Senate reform blocked
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s new prime minister threatened on Monday to resign if a plan to reduce the powers of the upper house of parliament, a central part of his ambitious constitutional reform agenda, is blocked.
China says Manila provoking trouble in seas ahead of legal case
BEIJING (Reuters) – China accused the Philippines on Monday of deliberately provoking trouble in the South China Sea by delivering supplies to a contested military outpost at the same time as seeking international arbitration in the dispute.
Israeli court convicts ex-PM Olmert in bribery case
TEL AVIV (Reuters) – An Israeli court convicted former prime minister Ehud Olmert on Monday of accepting a six-figure sum in bribes linked to a real-estate deal, probably ending any prospects of a political comeback.
Beleaguered Thai PM defends herself against rice charges
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday showed up to defend herself against charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office, the latest development in a political cris…
China rebel village votes, but hopes fade for fair poll
WUKAN, China (Reuters) – Villagers in southern Guangdong who launched an open revolt against local authorities in 2011 held an election on Monday amid intensifying pressure against protest leaders, who have either been detained or sought asylum abroad….
Former China mining boss, linked to ex-security chief’s son, on trial for murder
BEIJING (Reuters) – A former Chinese mining magnate with links to the eldest son of retired security tsar Zhou Yongkang went on trial on Monday over charges including murder after being accused of leading a 36-member gang on a crime spree spanning two …
