Trade war, spy claims cloud horizon for China airshow
Trade frictions with the United States and accusations of industrial espionage are set to cast a cloud over China’s largest aerospace meeting this week, as suppliers consider what the country’s slowing economy could mean for booming jet demand.
China’s boulevard to nowhere: The battle for influence in APEC’s Pacific host
Workers are putting the finishing touches on a Beijing-funded boulevard designed to showcase Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) capital to visiting world leaders at this month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
After long separatist struggle, New Caledonia set for independence vote
New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the South Pacific, votes on Sunday whether to become the world’s newest state in a referendum on independence that is the result of a 30-year long decolonisation process.
Baghdad rejects U.S. interference in its affairs after U.S. Twitter comments
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry rejected on Saturday what it called U.S. interference in its affairs after the U.S. embassy issued a statement telling neighboring Iran to respect Iraq’s sovereignty allow demobilization of Shi’ite militias.
Italian storms claim 17th life, and 14 million trees
Heavy rain and gales devastating parts of Italy have claimed two more lives, taking the overall death toll to at least 17, and laid waste to vast swathes of forest.
Fearing ‘angry mob’, lawyer of freed Christian woman leaves Pakistan
The Pakistani lawyer who helped a Christian woman overturn her death sentence for blasphemy said on Saturday he had left the country in fear of his life after her acquittal earlier this week sparked street protests by Islamists.
Erdogan says Turkey discussing Halkbank with U.S. after Trump call
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he and President Donald Trump had discussed Turkey’s Halkbank, which faces potential U.S. fines after an executive was convicted of taking part in a scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions.
Fearing ‘angry mob’, lawyer of freed Christian woman leaves Pakistan
The Pakistani lawyer who helped a Christian woman overturn her death sentence for blasphemy said on Saturday he had left the country in fear of his life after her acquittal earlier this week sparked street protests by Islamists.
Egypt’s Christians bury victims of militant attack
Egyptian Christians buried six members of the same family on Saturday who were shot dead while returning from a baptism at a Coptic monastery in Egypt’s Minya province.
Afghan Shi’ite militia battles Taliban, raising sectarian fears
A week of fighting between Taliban militants and fighters loyal to a commander from the mainly Shi’ite Hazara minority has heightened fears of a dangerous new phase of sectarian violence in Afghanistan.
