Bahrain defends use of teargas following criticism
DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahrain has defended its use of teargas after rights groups criticized the Gulf kingdom’s reported plans to buy 1.6 million canisters of the material.
Afghanistan to ask Pakistan about Taliban chief’s whereabouts
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan will demand an explanation from Pakistan on the whereabouts of a former Taliban second-in-command when the leaders of both countries meet next week to discuss how to end years of insurgency, an Afghan official said on Satu…
Iran border guards killed, captured on Pakistan border
DUBAI (Reuters) – Fourteen Iranian border guards were killed and three others captured by “bandits” on the southeastern frontier with Pakistan overnight, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
Kurdish fighters seize Syrian border post from Islamists
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Kurdish militants seized a Syrian border post on the frontier with Iraq early on Saturday, fighters and monitors said, after three days of clashes with an al Qaeda-linked group which had held the crossing since March.
Gunfight pits Afghan against foreign soldiers – one dead
KABUL (Reuters) – A gunfight broke out between Afghan and foreign soldiers on the outskirts of the capital Kabul on Saturday, killing at least one Afghan serviceman and injuring a number of other soldiers, according to Afghan and NATO officials.
U.N. Syria envoy says Iran should join Geneva peace talks: Press TV
DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Nations peace envoy for Syria said on Saturday Iran should be invited to planned peace talks in Geneva, Iran’s English-language Press TV reported, in comments sure to rile Gulf Arab states.
Finnish parliament should vote again on Fennovoima reactor: minister
HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finnish Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen said parliament should hold a new vote on nuclear consortium Fennovoima’s permit to build a nuclear reactor after it chose a supplier not included in original plans.
Judge dismisses ‘betrayal of trust’ case against ElBaradei
CAIRO (Reuters) – A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Egypt’s former interim vice president for “betrayal of trust” in quitting the army-backed government in protest against its bloody crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Japan PM says ready to be more assertive against China: media
TOKYO (Reuters) – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in an interview published on Saturday, said Japan was ready to be more assertive towards China as Beijing threatened to strike back if provoked.
Saudi women break driving ban, defying warnings: campaigners
RIYADH (Reuters) – A few women filmed themselves driving in Saudi cities on Saturday, defying government warnings of arrest and prosecution to take part in a campaign against men-only road rules, activists said.
