Chinese government’s top diplomat says Beijing not saddling Pakistan with debt
The Chinese government’s top diplomat defended Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative during a visit to Pakistan on Saturday, rejecting criticism the project has saddled Pakistan with expensive debt.
Police make arrest after stabbing in English town of Barnsley
British police said they had made an arrest after what they earlier called a “serious incident” in the northern English town of Barnsley on Saturday.
Basra airport targeted by rocket fire as violent protests grip Iraq
Basra airport was targeted by rocket fire on Saturday after another night of protests against Iraq’s political elite during which demonstrators torched the Iranian consulate and briefly took oilfield workers hostage.
Yemen peace talks collapse in Geneva after Houthi no-show
An attempt to hold peace talks for Yemen was abandoned on Saturday after three days of waiting for the Houthi movement’s delegation, but the United Nations envoy vowed to press ahead with diplomacy.
Yemen accuses Houthis of trying to ‘sabotage’ peace talks, blame U.N. envoy
Yemen’s foreign minister accused the Houthi movement on Saturday of “trying to sabotage the negotiations” that ended without their attendance in Geneva and said that the U.N. envoy had not been firm enough with them.
Egypt sentences 75 people to death over 2013 sit-in: judicial sources
Egypt has sentenced 75 people to death, including prominent Islamist leaders, over a 2013 pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-in which ended with the killing of hundreds of protesters, judicial sources said on Saturday.
Basra airport targeted by three rockets, no casualties: sources
Three Katyusha rockets struck the outer perimeter of Basra’s airport on Saturday, local security sources said.
Earthquake of 6.4 magnitude strikes southern Philippines: USGS
An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude struck the southern Philippines on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Houthis not expected at Yemen peace talks, government leaving: diplomat, official
Yemen’s Houthi group is not expected at U.N.-brokered talks in Geneva to end the country’s three-year war and the Yemeni government delegation will leave on Saturday, a diplomat and a delegation official told Reuters.
Vietnam places orders for Russian weapons worth over $1 billion: TASS
Vietnam has placed orders for Russian weapons and military services worth more than $1 billion, Russia’s TASS news agency has reported, as the Southeast Asian country bolsters its defense capability.
