Blast near shrine in Pakistan, several casualties: police
An explosion close to a major Sufi shrine in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore caused several casualties on Wednesday, officials said.
Saudi appoints new head of its civil aviation body: Royal Decree
Saudi Arabia issued a royal decree appointing Abdelhadi El-mansouri as a head of its General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) with the rank of minister, Saudi Press Agency reported early on Wednesday.
Cuban LGBT community calls out government for canceling parade
Cuban gay rights activists denounced the government’s decision to cancel this year’s parade against homophobia, accusing it of snatching away their main platform at a key moment as the Caribbean nation is set to debate legalizing same-sex marriage.
Appeals court allows U.S. to keep sending asylum seekers to Mexico
A U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration may continue sending asylum seekers to wait out their cases in Mexico while the government appeals a lower court ruling that found the policy violated U.S. immigration law.
Anti-Kurdish protests grow in Syria’s Deir al-Zor: residents, locals
Arab inhabitants of Syria’s Deir al-Zor began a third week of protests against Kurdish rule, the largest wave of unrest to sweep the oil-rich region since the U.S.-backed forces took over the territory from Islamic State nearly 18 months ago, residents…
Venezuela’s Congress strips opposition lawmakers of immunity
Venezuela’s pro-government Constituent Assembly on Tuesday stripped seven opposition legislators of parliamentary immunity after they joined rallies on April 30 amid a failed uprising aimed at ousting President Nicolas Maduro.
In exile in Bangladesh, a bittersweet revival of Rohingya culture
Chain-smoking singer Gudar Mia, who recently turned 80 in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, lit another cigarette, closed his eyes, and crooned the opening words of a Rohingya folk song.
White House welcomes release of Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar
The White House said on Tuesday it welcomed the release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were jailed in Myanmar for more than a year.
U.S. House passes pro-Taiwan bills, amid trade tensions with China
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan which faces military and diplomatic pressure from China as members of the U.S. Congress push for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing.
Mexico asks Brazil’s Moro for help with its Odebrecht graft probe: source
The Mexican attorney general’s office has asked Brazil Justice Minister Sergio Moro to give its investigators access to evidence of alleged corruption by construction firm Odebrecht SA in Mexico, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
