Pentagon calls for parties to halt militarization of South China Sea

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department on Wednesday said commercial imagery indicated that China had deployed a surface-to-air missile system on a disputed outpost in the South China Sea, and said the action was increasing tensions in the region.

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Dissidents fearful as Thailand, once a haven, favors China

BANGKOK (Reuters) - One night last month, Liu Xuehong stood weeping outside the gates of the United Nations headquarters in Bangkok, begging the guards to let her in.

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Murders in Honduras drop 12 percent in 2015 as drug bosses extradited: group

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Homicides in Honduras fell 12 percent in 2015 thanks in part to the capture and extradition to the United States of drug cartel bosses, a United Nations-backed organization said on Wednesday.

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Maldives opposition leader jailed for 12 years for role in protests

MALE (Reuters) - A Maldives court has sentenced an Islamist opposition leader to 12 years in jail, convicting him on terrorism charges related to a speech that protested the imprisonment of the islands' first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed.

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Former Italy PM Monti chides incumbent Renzi for criticizing EU

ROME (Reuters) - Former Italian prime minister Mario Monti on Wednesday warned current premier Matteo Renzi that his repeated criticism of Brussels risked alienating Italy from the bloc.

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U.N. Yemen envoy says divisions over truce preventing peace talks

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations special envoy for Yemen said on Wednesday he was unable to call another round of peace talks because the warring parties are deeply divided over whether there should be a ceasefire to coincide with a new round of negotiations.

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Helicopter downed in Iraq; Islamic State claims responsibility

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi army helicopter crashed on Wednesday due to "hostile fire" west of Baghdad where security forces were fighting Islamic State militants, who claimed responsibility for downing it.

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