Obama aims to soothe Saudi fears with Riyadh visit
WASHINGTON/RIYADH (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama will seek to ease Saudi concerns that he is neglecting an old ally when he visits Riyadh on Friday, months after top Saudis objected to what they saw as a growing rapprochement between Washingto…
Navy setbacks show defence challenges facing next Indian government
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – For a country aspiring to be a modern military power in a volatile region, a sequence of fatal accidents aboard its submarines has demonstrated why India’s next government needs to straighten out its defence priorities.
Mali coup leader abandons hunger strike after stomach problems
BAMAKO (Reuters) – The leader of a military coup that plunged Mali into chaos two years ago, allowing Islamists to seize its desert north, has abandoned a hunger strike to protest against the conditions of his detention, military sources said.
NATO chief concerned about Russian buildup on Ukraine border
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO is very concerned about a Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders and has all plans in place to defend members of the alliance, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday.
Director of South Africa IT firm charged with attempted police bribe
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – An executive director of South Africa’s Pinnacle Holdings has been charged with offering a $460,000 bribe to a senior police official to win an equipment contract for the technology company, police said on Tuesday.
Thai protesters hope vote for Senate will tee up PM’s impeachment
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Anti-government protesters marched in Bangkok on Tuesday to drum up support for a rally at the weekend, just before Thailand holds elections for the Senate, which will play a central role in their aim of removing Prime Minister Ying…
Serbia’s Progressives win nearly half March 16 votes: official result
BELGRADE (Reuters) – The Serbian Progressive Party has won 48.4 percent of the votes in the March 16 snap election and will be able to form the next government alone, final official results showed.
Russia wants to continue contacts with G8 states: Kremlin
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia wants to continue contacts with G8 member states, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman was quoted as saying on Tuesday, after the other seven members suspended their participation in the group.
Hundreds rush to rural Chinese bank after solvency rumors: media
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Hundreds of people rushed to withdraw money from a branch of a small Chinese bank after rumors spread about its solvency, reflecting growing anxiety among investors as regulators signal greater tolerance for credit defaults.
Beset by differences, Arab leaders open annual summit
KUWAIT (Reuters) – Arab leaders struggling with an array of foreign policy disputes opened an annual summit on Tuesday to try to forge a common stand on Syria’s war and what many of them see as the menace of Iranian-U.S. rapprochement.
