Japan PM Abe considers sales tax hike delay, snap election: media
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering dissolving the lower house of parliament and calling a snap election if he decides to delay a plan to raise the sales tax next year, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
India’s defense minister says needs 440 helicopters for armed forces
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India needs a total of 440 new helicopters for its armed forces, Defense Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday, adding that some will be brought from abroad and some will be manufactured domestically.
Fall of Berlin Wall and hopes of sports superpower status
LONDON (Reuters) – Berliners had only just started taking pickaxes to the Berlin Wall in the days after its dramatic demise on November 9, 1989 when the world of sport began confidently predicting a golden future for a reunited Germany.
West African bloc urges no sanctions against Burkina Faso
DAKAR (Reuters) – The West African regional bloc ECOWAS called on the international community not to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso after the military took control of a transition following the resignation of longtime President Blaise Compaore.
Catalans hope for big turnout in symbolic independence vote
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of Catalans are expected to back independence from Spain on Sunday in a symbolic referendum on secession being held across the northeastern region, despite opposition from Madrid.
Yearning for freedom brought down Berlin Wall, says Merkel
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday an irrepressible yearning for freedom brought the Berlin Wall tumbling down 25 years ago and called it a “miracle” that the Cold War barrier was breached without a shot being fired.
Libyan protesters seize eastern oil port as Benghazi toll hits 300
BENGHAZI/TUNIS (Reuters) – Libyan state security guards have started a protest at the 120,000 barrel per day Hariga oil port in the east, halting all oil exports from the terminal, a Libyan oil official said on Saturday.
U.S. air strikes target Islamic State convoy in Iraq
BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. air strikes destroyed an Islamic State convoy near the Iraqi city of Mosul but U.S. officials said on Saturday it was unclear whether the group’s top commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been in any of the 10 targeted …
Israeli Arabs declare strike after police kill man during arrest raid
KAFR KANA Israel (Reuters) – Community leaders of Israel’s Arab minority declared a 24-hour general commercial strike, starting on Sunday, following the shooting dead by police of a man from the village of Kafr Kana in the north of the country.
Iran says nuclear deal within reach by November 24, no alternatives
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran sees no alternative to a diplomatic settlement with six world powers on its nuclear program and believes both sides are resolved to reach a deal by a self-imposed Nov. 24 deadline, its deputy foreign minister said on Saturday.
