Thai king to leave hospital after four years
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s 85-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, is to leave the Bangkok hospital where he has been for almost four years to live at his palace by the sea, a government official said on Wednesday…
Rights group condemns lashing, jailing of Saudi blogger on Islam
DUBAI (Reuters) – An international rights group condemned the sentencing of a Saudi Arabian website founder to be whipped 600 times and jailed for seven years for violating Islamic values, saying it undermined the kingdom’s stated support for religious…
Gun crime, custodial deaths pile pressure on Malaysian government
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – High-profile shootings and a surge of deaths of suspects in custody are stoking public anger in Malaysia, piling pressure on the government to tackle crime and clamp down on police corruption and brutality.
Philippines likely to stay in Golan Heights for another six months
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines will likely keep its peacekeeping forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for six more months after securing U.N. assurances for the safety of its 342 soldiers in the ceasefire zone, Manila’s foreign minister sai…
Afghan civilian deaths increase; more women, child victims: U.N.
KABUL (Reuters) – Violence against civilians has risen by almost a quarter in Afghanistan as international forces hand security to Afghans, the United Nations said in a report on Wednesday, with insurgents striking in areas where troops have already le…
Panama uncovers fighter jet engines from seized North Korea ship
COLON, Panama (Reuters) – Panamanian investigators unloading the cargo of a seized North Korean ship carrying arms from Cuba under sacks of brown sugar on Tuesday found 12 engines for MiG-21 fighter jets and five military vehicles that officials said r…
Egypt allows EU envoy to see deposed president
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt allowed Europe’s top diplomat to meet deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on Monday, flying her after dark to Mursi’s secret detention facility but ruling out any role for him in ending the turmoil convulsing the country.
Obama asks Republican Senators McCain, Graham to visit Egypt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has asked two senior Republican senators to travel to Egypt to meet with its military leaders and the opposition, as Cairo’s allies struggle with how to address the turmoil convulsing the country.
Al Qaeda affiliate claims responsibility for Iraq bombings
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – An al Qaeda-affiliated group claimed responsibility for a wave of bombings across Iraq that killed 60 people on Monday and the Interior Ministry said it was facing an “open war” from insurgents bent on plunging the country into sect…
Israel, Palestinians strive for peace deal within nine months
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on Tuesday gave themselves about nine months to try to reach an agreement on ending their conflict of more than six decades in U.S.-brokered peace talks.
