Maldives ex-president sentenced to five years for money laundering
Former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering on Thursday – as dozens of his supporters gathered outside the courtroom saying his was innocent.
Taiwan pushes anti-infiltration bill, opposition cries foul
Taiwan needs to have legal means to prevent China interfering in its politics, a government spokesman said on Thursday about a anti-infiltration law that is being drafted, as the main opposition said it feared being “painted red” by the law.
Rescuers keep working in Albanian town as death toll hits 40
Rescue teams desperately sought survivors under rubble in Albania’s western town of Durres on Thursday hoping to pull out toddler twins alive, two days after a 6.4 magnitude quake killed at least 40 people.
Pakistan’s top court grants temporary extension to army chief’s term
Pakistan’s top court granted a six-month extension to the term of the country’s army head General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday, after initially blocking a three-year extension of his tenure.
China could put U.S. Hong Kong law drafters on no-entry list: Global Times editor
China is considering putting those who drafted the U.S. law supporting Hong Kong’s protesters on a no-entry list barring them from entering China’s mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macau, Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin said on Thursday.
Iran dismisses French comments about nuclear deal’s dispute mechanism
Iran rejects as “irresponsible” comments by France that it is seriously considering triggering a mechanism within the Iran nuclear deal that could lead to U.N. sanctions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday.
North Korea test fires missiles month before deadline for U.S. to respond on talks
Breaking a month-long lull in missile tests, North Korea fired two short range missiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday in what appeared to be the latest try out of its new multiple rocket launchers, South Korea’s military said.
Red Cross says it repatriating 128 detainees from Saudi Arabia to Yemen on Thursday
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday it was repatriating 128 detainees from Saudi Arabia to the Houthi-held Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
Japan store reviews plan for staff to wear menstruation badges after outcry
A Japanese department store is reconsidering a plan for employees to wear badges when they’re menstruating, which was originally aimed at fostering sympathy among co-workers but triggered a public outcry.
Three detained Saudi writers freed, others still held: rights group
Saudi Arabia has released three people swept up in the latest wave of arrests in a crackdown on free expression, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said on Thursday, but several more remain in detention.
