Australia’s leader loses key support as he fights to keep job
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Embattled Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday lost the unconditional support of a key political ally, renewing speculation he could be pushed out by his own party.
Gunmen storm Libya’s al-Mabrook oilfield
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Gunmen have stormed the al-Mabrook oilfield in central Libya, oil and military officials said on Wednesday, the latest oil facility hit by violence in the North African country.
50 injured in riots in northern Guinea
CONAKRY (Reuters) – Around 50 people were injured in riots in the town of Labé in northern Guinea when people protesting a shake-up in the civil service clashed with security forces, the government said on Wednesday.
Putin to visit Egypt on February 9-10
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Egypt on Feb. 9-10 to discuss bilateral ties as well as regional issues in the Middle East, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
China to toughen military checks to fight internet spying
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s military will toughen ideological background checks on its troops and strictly control their internet and mobile phone use in an effort to combat spying by “hostile forces”, state media said on Wednesday.
China rebukes Norway for expelling scholar
BEIJING (Reuters) – China rebuked Norway on Wednesday for “violating the rights” of a Chinese scholar who was expelled from the country, in the latest friction that could strain ties already tense over a Nobel Peace Prize for a Chinese dissident.
Two more Ukrainian soldiers killed in east: military
KIEV (Reuters) – Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 18 were wounded in fighting against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, a Ukraine military spokesman said on Wednesday.
Japan says South China Sea security impacts national interests
TOKYO (Reuters) – Security in the South China Sea, claimed almost wholly by China, impacts Japan’s interests and could warrant a rethink of military patrol aircraft deployments, the defense minister said after a U.S. Navy officer said Washington would …
Myanmar condemns U.N. official for using term ‘Rohingya’
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar on Wednesday condemned a U.N. official for using the term Rohingya to describe a persecuted minority that the government refers to as Bengali, which implies they are illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.
Japan government delays BOJ nomination, stirs worries about political battle
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s government unexpectedly delayed a widely expected nomination to the Bank of Japan’s policy board on Wednesday, raising concerns the appointment could become ensnared in a political battle with opposition parties.
