China formally charges activist who urged officials to reveal assets
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Friday formally charged a prominent campaigner for officials to reveal their wealth, his lawyer said, after police accused him of breaking the law by organizing demonstrations.
Sex video case lands another China official in jail
BEIJING (Reuters) – An official sacked after a sex scandal was sentenced to 14 years in jail for bribery on Friday, state media said, in the latest fallout from a case that transfixed the country.
Suspects on run after breakout from Baghdad police cell
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – More than 20 Iraqi suspects escaped from a Baghdad detention center after murdering a guard on Friday in the latest of a series of jailbreaks, but some were later recaptured and at least one was killed, officials and police sources …
Japan should embrace nuclear power, government panel says
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan should embrace nuclear power as an “important and fundamental” energy source, a government panel said on Friday, in advice that looks almost certain to be accepted, despite widespread anti-nuclear feeling after the Fukushima dis…
China and U.S. to hold trade talks next week
BEIJING (Reuters) – Senior U.S. and Chinese officials will hold annual trade talks in Beijing next week, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as the world’s two largest economies try to iron out an array of long-held tensions.
Insight: In Yemen, al Qaeda gains sympathy amid U.S. drone strikes
SANAA (Reuters) – On January 23, science teacher Ali Nasser al-Qawli had finished supervising school exams in the Yemeni village of Khawlan and was enjoying an afternoon with friends when he encountered the strangers.
Iran, big powers’ nuclear talks complex, need more time: EU
VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran and six world powers need more time to work out complex technical steps on implementing last month’s deal for Tehran to curb its nuclear program, the European Union said on Friday after four days of expert-level talks in Vienna….
Greek police investigate arson attack at former PM’s seaside house
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police were investigating an arson attack on former Prime Minister Costas Simitis’s holiday house outside the capital Athens on Friday that caused damage but hurt no one.
‘Cerebral’ Spindelegger takes on Austrian finances
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian conservative leader Michael Spindelegger, set to replace the combative Maria Fekter as the euro zone country’s finance minister, is as plain vanilla as Fekter is brash.
Asian nations urge peace in sea disputes, unlikely to blame China
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian nations must ensure that territorial disputes do not erupt into conflict, leaders said on Friday, with Japan and the Philippines reaffirming their commitment to freedom of flight as concerns grow over China’s new air defense zon…
