China tightens grip on Macau as dissent rises in gambling hub
MACAU (Reuters) – By night, Ieong Man Teng was dealing baccarat to gamblers at the Wynn Macau casino. By day, he was mobilizing thousands of fellow dealers to protest on the street for better working conditions and higher pay.
Japan, U.S. extend deadline for new Asian security guidelines
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan and the United States on Friday extended by six months a deadline to revise guidelines for their security cooperation in order to give Tokyo a more prominent military role in East Asia.
Special Report: Depleted oil field is window into China’s corruption crackdown
LIMAU, Indonesia (Reuters) – In a muddy clearing in southern Sumatra, a portable diesel power plant hammers away alongside a wellhead, struggling to extract crude from a depleted reservoir that lies below farmland and rubber plantations.
Dutch PM agrees to change health bill to avoid government collapse
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a letter to parliament late Thursday that his party would revise a health bill that was blocked in the senate, potentially staving off the collapse of his fragile center-right coalition gove…
Tribal chief of Mali’s Tuaregs dies amid stalled peace talks
DAKAR (Reuters) – The chief of the most powerful Tuareg tribe in northern Mali died on Thursday, signaling a change of leadership as Tuareg separatists are locked in peace talks with the government.
EU needs united approach to Russia for a solution to Ukraine conflict
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union must be united in its approach toward Russia if it wants to find a solution to the conflict in Ukraine, the chairman of EU leaders Donald Tusk said on Thursday.
New broom ends EU summit a day early
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – In a striking symbol of changed leadership, European Union leaders wrapped up their last summit of the year a day early after agreeing to launch an investment fund and maintain sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.
Suspected Boko Haram gunmen kidnap 172 women, children in Nigeria
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Suspected Boko Haram gunmen kidnapped 172 women and children and killed 35 other people on Sunday during a raid on the northeast Nigerian village of Gumsuri, residents said on Thursday.
At U.N., Iran urged to show more flexibility in nuclear talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran has not demonstrated sufficient flexibility in nuclear talks with six world powers aimed at ending a 12-year standoff with the Islamic Republic over its atomic ambitions, France and Britain said on Thursday.
Fighting in Libya’s Benghazi kills 25 in eight days: medics
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – At least 25 people have been killed and 103 wounded in the past eight days of fighting between pro-government forces and Islamist groups in Libya’s second city Benghazi, medics said on Thursday.
