Sri Lanka backs China port city deal after threat to cancel
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet said on Thursday it would allow a $1.5 billion “port city” deal with China to go ahead, dropping a threat to cancel a project approved by the previous government.
Ukrainian, rebel convoys head for rail town to evacuate civilians
HORLIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) – Convoys of buses converged from two sides on the town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine on Friday after separatist rebels and government forces appeared to have patched together a truce to allow civilians to be evacuated.
Turkey urges citizens to leave Yemen amid political crisis
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey has urged its citizens to leave Yemen due to the worsening security situation, despite a tentative deal among the country’s rival factions battling for power.
Thailand boosts military ties with China amid U.S. spat
BANGKOK (Reuters) – China and Thailand agreed on Friday to boost military ties over the next five years, from increasing intelligence sharing to fighting transnational crime, as the ruling junta seeks to counterbalance the country’s alliance with Washi…
Survivors of Australian bushfire get $235 million in biggest class action
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Survivors of one of Australia’s deadliest wildfires won compensation of A$300 million ($235 million) in a pre-trial settlement on Friday, bringing to a close the country’s costliest series of class action lawsuits.
China says against foreign countries receiving Dalai Lama
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday it was opposed to foreign countries receiving the Dalai Lama, after U.S. President Barack Obama warmly acknowledged the Buddhist religious leader, but did not meet him directly, at a prayer ev…
China to crack down on foreign casinos seeking Chinese gamblers
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will fight attempts by foreign casinos to lure its citizens abroad, a senior police official said on Friday, which could deal a blow to the gaming firms in Macau and Asian countries that rely on these punters for most of their…
Fire at warehouse in southern China kills 17
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A fire at a warehouse in China has killed at least 17 people, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday, the latest disaster in a country with a poor record on work safety.
Indonesia to execute two Australians for drug offences this month
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Two Australian members of the “Bali Nine” drug trafficking ring, arrested in Bali in 2005 for attempting to smuggle 8 kg (18 lb) of heroin to Australia, will be executed this month, a government official said on Friday, ignoring cle…
Record spending spurs race by governments for Chinese tourist dollars
Feb 6 (Reuters) – Embassies are re-writing visa rules and governments are hammering out aviation pacts as record spending by Chinese travelers sets off a race around the world for a share of the Chinese tourist dollar.
