Taiwan activists fan China fears as protest trial opens
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Anti-China activists told a court in Taiwan that their weeks-long protest campaign last year saved the island from further economic colonization by Beijing, in defense statements given at the start of their trial on Wednesday.
Hong Kong ready for fresh ‘Occupy’ protests says city leader
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s leader said on Wednesday the city was prepared for a fresh flareup of pro-democracy street protests, while issuing a call to arms against opposition democratic lawmakers who have disrupted government policy-making in t…
Australia kicks off $39 billion submarine tender
ADELAIDE, Australia (Reuters) – Australia has invited Germany, France and Japan to pitch for a contract to build its new submarine fleet, kicking off a contentious A$50 billion ($38.8 billion) project which has become a political football at home.
Islamic State releases Bangladeshi hostages in Libya oilfield attack
DHAKA (Reuters) – Two Bangladeshi citizens, among a group of foreign workers taken hostage by the Islamic State militant group in an attack on a Libyan oilfield, have been released after more than two weeks, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Indonesian tycoon sues government to stop key opposition party defecting to president
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian tycoon Aburizal Bakrie is suing the government in a bid to keep control of the country’s biggest opposition party and prevent it defecting to President Joko Widodo’s minority coalition.
EU, Cuba to speed up talks, seek deal by end of 2015
HAVANA (Reuters) – The European Union and Cuba agreed to speed up the pace of talks on improving bilateral relations, hoping to reach the basics of a deal by the end of 2015, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday.
China pushes Iran again to reach nuclear deal with world powers
BEIJING (Reuters) – A nuclear deal with Iran represents the trend of the times and is the will of the people, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart, pushing Iran once again to reach an agreement with major world powers.
Attacks against Mexican journalists rise under Pena Nieto: report
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Threats and attacks against journalists including murder have risen in the first two years of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration compared with his predecessor’s time in office, journalism advocacy group Articl…
Islamic State claims suicide bombing in Libya’s Benghazi
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Islamic State militants claimed a suicide bombing that killed seven people at an army checkpoint in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Tuesday and triggered retaliatory air strikes by army forces.
Ivory Coast names Catholic bishop to head reconciliation efforts
ABIDJAN (Reuters) – Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara appointed a Catholic archbishop on Tuesday to head the West African nation’s flagging post-war reconciliation efforts ahead of elections later this year, a senior official with the presidenc…
