Japan PM to seek fresh mandate for ‘Abenomics’ with snap poll
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that he would call an early election to seek a fresh mandate for his economic policies, and postpone an unpopular sales tax rise, a day after data showed the economy had slipped back …
Iran parliament spurns Rouhani pick for universities minister for 4th time
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s parliament on Tuesday rejected for the fourth time President Hassan Rouhani’s nominee to head the sensitive Ministry of Higher Education in a further setback to his attempts to liberalize universities.
Kafando sworn in as Burkina Faso transitional president
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Michel Kafando was sworn in as transitional president of Burkina Faso on Tuesday, faced with the task of leading the West African country to elections in a year following a brief military takeover.
Brazil’s Rousseff responsible for Petrobras graft, opposition says
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff is politically responsible for a growing money-laundering and bribery scandal at state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, although she was probably not personally involved enough to justify i…
Turkey fears influx of 2-3 million more Syrian refugees
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey could face an influx of 2-3 million more Syrian refugees if President Bashar al-Assad’s forces or Islamic State insurgents advance around Aleppo, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
Russia sees no chance of breakthrough on Ukraine in German minister’s visit
KIEV (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign minister said he would assess the chances of making progress to end the crisis in Ukraine during talks in Moscow on Tuesday but Russia said it saw no chance of a breakthrough.
Spain files suit against Catalonia head over secession vote
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s state prosecutor will sue Catalan leader Artur Mas for defying a court ruling and holding a symbolic vote on the region’s independence from the rest of the country.
Congo police executed 51 in anti-gang operation: Human Rights Watch
KALEMITE Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused police in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday of summarily executing at least 51 people in an anti-gang operation and of being responsible for the disappearance …
Hong Kong clears part of protest site – with help of protesters
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong on Tuesday cleared part of a protest camp in the heart of the city that has been occupied by pro-democracy demonstrators for nearly two months, leaving most of the main protest site intact.
Disgraced China security chief accused of economic ‘meddling’
BEIJING (Reuters) – Disgraced former Chinese domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang caused serious economic damage with his “meddling” in the province where he had his powerbase, an official was quoted as saying on Tuesday, in a rare public mention of h…
