Scottish nationalists would block second Cameron government: Salmond
LONDON (Reuters) – The Scottish National Party (SNP) would try to block Britain’s Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron from forming a government if the result of a national election on May 7 is inconclusive, former SNP leader Alex Salmond said.
Coke’s zero tolerance for land grabs proves difficult to fulfill
WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The Coca-Cola Co has made a good start in axing land grabs from its supply chain, but it must work harder in proving that its bottlers and sugar suppliers do not violate land rights, development experts told th…
Loyalists of former Yemen ruler reject foreign intervention
DUBAI (Reuters) – Army officers loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, a powerful ally of Yemen’s Houthi militia, strongly reject any foreign intervention to end the country’s worsening conflict, a statement carried on a website affiliated to Sa…
Hungary reaches deal on Russian nuclear fuel supply with Euratom: MTI
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary has reached an agreement with the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) regarding Russia’s planned supply of nuclear fuel for the country’s Paks power plant, the prime minister’s chief of staff, Janos Lazar, told national news agency…
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.
