Taiwan turns to Chinese shipper for help with port in disputed waters
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan had to use a mainland Chinese shipper to get vital materials to a $100 million port it is building on a disputed island in the South China Sea last month after it couldn’t find a local firm to do the job, Taiwanese officials s…
Merkel dampens hopes for Ukraine ceasefire deal in Moscow talks
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was unclear whether she and French President Francois Hollande would achieve a breakthrough with Russian President Vladimir Putin in talks later on Friday aimed at resolving the crisis in Ukrai…
Myanmar nationalists threaten protests over Rohingya vote change
YANGON (Reuters) – Nationalist monks and some political leaders in Myanmar have threatened to hold mass rallies to protest a parliamentary decision giving the Rohingya ethnic minority voting rights in a referendum to amend the constitution.
Only 6 percent chance British election will result in majority government: research
LONDON (Reuters) – There is only a six percent chance the British election on May 7 will produce a majority government, according to analysis published on Friday, with opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband most likely to end up as prime minister.
U.S. lawmakers begin push for more sanctions on North Korea
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Thursday to broaden sanctions against North Korea by imposing stiffer punishments on foreign companies doing business with Pyongyang, a measure that could impact mostly on Chinese firms.
Islamic State in Syria seen under strain but far from collapse
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State’s defeat in Kobani and other recent setbacks in Syria suggest the group is under strain but far from collapse in the Syrian half of its self-declared caliphate.
Islamic State punishes cleric who objected to pilot’s killing: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Islamic State cleric who objected to the group’s decision to burn to death a captive Jordanian pilot has been removed from his post and will be put on trial, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.
Syrian air strikes kill 82 after rebel rocket attack: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian air force strikes killed 82 people in an opposition district outside Damascus following rocket attacks by rebels that hit the government-controlled center of the capital, a monitoring group said on Friday.
Japanese firms face wake-up call on threats of violence: security expert
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese companies with overseas operations are showing greater interest in seeking advice on security and other threats, after the Islamic State militants killed two citizens of Japan, a risk management specialist said.
Taiwan plane blackbox reveals ‘mayday’ call 35 seconds after noticing engine failure
TAIPEI (Reuters) – The blackbox data and voice recorders of a TransAsia plane that crashed into a river in Taipei showed that the pilot called “mayday” and announced an engine flameout 35 seconds after noticing engine failure, aviation authorities said…
