WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Shortly before the United States ended a two-month pause in missile strikes on militants in Pakistan last month, senior U.S. officials telephoned their Pakistani counterparts and told them Washington would be resuming its covert drone program despite mounting objections in Islamabad.

KABUL (Reuters) – Six people were shot dead and dozens wounded in protests in Afghanistan which flared for a second day on Wednesday in several cities over the burning of copies of the Koran, Islam’s holy book, at NATO’s main base in the country, officials said.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Myanmar resembles China before Beijing launched economic reforms three decades ago but poses enormous risks for investors, including opaque laws and a troubled currency, high-profile commodities investor Jim Rogers said on Wednesday.

YANGON (Reuters) – A senior figure in Myanmar’s parliament on Wednesday described recent reforms in the country as “sluggish and unsatisfactory” and urged the civilian government to act faster to push through legislation for the benefit of the public.

KABUL (Reuters) – The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said on Wednesday its staff were on lockdown and all travel was suspended amid violent protests across the capital over the burning of Korans at NATO’s main base in Afghanistan.