Turkey stands by Kurdish oil deal, seeks to appease Baghdad
ARBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Turkey said on Monday it stood by a bilateral oil deal with Iraq’s Kurdistan region that bypassed central government but sought to appease Baghdad by drawing it into the arrangement.
Bolshoi performers say Russian dancer’s guilt not proven
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Performers at Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre made a last-minute plea for leniency on Monday for a dancer accused of ordering an acid attack on its artistic director, praising his “wonderful human qualities” and saying he was incapable of s…
China journalist slams state TV for airing public confession
BEIJING (Reuters) – A producer for China’s state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday that he had been fired after he criticized the network’s role in a controversial crackdown on online rumors.
Iran to reassert authority at OPEC after nuclear deal
VIENNA (Reuters) – Bijan Zanganeh returns this week to the same Vienna hotel suite he last occupied eight years ago as Iranian oil minister, ready to prepare OPEC for what Tehran hopes will mark its return as the cartel’s second biggest producer.
Six Qaeda-linked militants, three soldiers killed in Yemen clashes
ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) – Six suspected al Qaeda militants and three Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes in Yemen’s eastern region of Hadramout on Monday, the defense ministry said.
Wife of China’s jailed Nobel Laureate suspected of suffering severe depression
BEIJING (Reuters) – The wife of jailed Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo is unwell under house arrest and possibly suffering from severe depression, but refuses to seek medical help as she is afraid of further punishment, her friends said on Monday…
Israel says returns fire into Syria on occupied Golan Heights
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Israeli army fired into Syria on Monday after its troops were shot at on the occupied Golan Heights, the military said.
Nigeria imposes 24-hour curfew on Maiduguri after attack
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigerian authorities imposed a 24-hour curfew in the main northeastern city of Maiduguri on Monday after suspected Islamist militants staged an attack there in the early hours.
Afghan president suggests poll delay to avoid snow, organizers say
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai has suggested delaying April elections to avoid heavy snow, organizers said, an idea that will rattle the United States and critics who fear he may be trying to drag out his second and final term.
China punishes 20,000 officials for being too bureaucratic
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has punished almost 20,000 officials in the last year for breaching rules to cut down on bureaucracy as well as pomp and ceremony, the government said on Monday.
