Thai government holds talks with politicians, activists
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military government on Thursday held reconciliation talks with the leaders of the Puea Thai party it toppled from power nearly a year ago, along with other politicians, academics and student activists.
Pacific pact negotiators agree trade rules for six subjects: Japan government source
TOKYO (Reuters) – Negotiators for the Trans-Pacific Partnership have agreed trade rules for six broad categories as officials race to conclude a trade pact, a Japanese government source said on Thursday.
Russia carries out military drills on disputed Kurile Islands
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has conducted military anti-landing drills in a Pacific island chain, parts of which are also claimed by Japan, Interfax news agency reported the Russian Defence Ministry as saying on Thursday.
Libya’s rival government says would confront EU attacks on traffickers
VALLETTA (Reuters) – The group controlling Libya’s coastal capital Tripoli said it would “confront” any unilateral European Union moves to attack sites used by people-traffickers, urging the bloc to consult it over plans to deal with a migration crisis…
UK voters in the dark on post-election fiscal plans: think tank
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s main political parties are not giving voters important details of how they would run the public finances after the May 7 national election, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent think tank, said on Thursday.
Poland says may support Ukraine’s defenses if crisis escalates
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland’s foreign minister Grzegorz Schetyna said on Thursday that Poland, along with other countries, may support Ukraine’s defense capacities if the conflict in eastern Ukraine escalates.
Host Malaysia avoids Chinese ire over disputed sea at ASEAN summit
KUALA LUMPUR/MANILA (Reuters) – Malaysia is steering clear of criticizing China’s actions in the South China Sea at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders next week, a draft end-statement seen by Reuters shows, despite a push by the Philippines to denoun…
Burundi on knife edge over president’s possible third-term run
BUJUMBURA/NAIROBI (Reuters) – Any move by Burundi’s president to run for a third five-year term risks undermining a peace deal that has kept the African nation calm since civil war ended a decade ago and could stoke tensions in a region blighted by eth…
China warns on rising North Korea nuclear capability: WSJ
SEOUL (Reuters) – Chinese nuclear experts have warned that North Korea may already have 20 nuclear warheads and the capability to produce enough weapons-grade uranium to double its arsenal by next year, The Wall Street Journal reported.
U.S.-led strikes have killed 2,079 people in Syria: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition in Syria have killed 2,079 people, including 66 civilians, since the start of the aerial campaign against Islamic State militants last September, a group monitoring the war said on Thursday.
