Thai rice farmers paid $2.9 billion of arrears, state bank says
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military government has paid rice farmers all the arrears of 92.4 billion baht ($2.86 billion) owed under a controversial state purchase scheme, a senior official of the bank that funded the program said on Tuesday.
Norway’s Statoil says could boost gas to EU, but cannot replace Russia
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Norway’s Statoil could increase gas supplies to the European Union but would not be able to replace Russian gas, CEO Helge Lund said on Tuesday, a day after Moscow cut off supplies to Ukraine over a price dispute.
Concerns rise over China’s detention of Uighur scholar
BEIJING (Reuters) – Concerns about the prolonged detention in China of prominent Uighur academic Ilham Tohti are rising amid a crackdown by Beijing on Islamist separatists it says are seeking to establish an independent state in the far west.
‘Cyberattack’ threatens online vote on Hong Kong reforms, organizer says
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A cyberattack on a voting website threatens to derail an unofficial referendum on democratic reform in Hong Kong, seen as a gauge of the desire for change in the former British colony that reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, an orga…
Egypt swears in new government to tackle economic woes
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb was sworn in on Tuesday at the head of a new government that retained key economic and security ministers but created a new investment post to attract funds to an economy racked by years of politi…
China’s army eases curbs to draw more educated recruits: paper
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s military is setting its sights on better educated entrants, relaxing height, weight and vision requirements while cutting back on candidates without high school diplomas, the China Daily said on Tuesday.
Russia raises Ukraine aid issue, U.N. talks drag on Syria help
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Russia said on Monday that more than 100,000 people have fled across its border to escape violence in eastern Ukraine and signaled that it has been delivering humanitarian assistance to the region without Kiev’s consent.
Russia cuts off gas to Ukraine as Kiev orders border secured
KIEV/GORKI Russia (Reuters) – Russia cut off gas to Ukraine on Monday in a dispute over unpaid bills that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe and set back hopes for peace between the former Soviet neighbours.
The war that never ends between the Koreas
YEONPYEONG South Korea (Reuters) – On a clear day, residents of Yeonpyeong Island can see North Korea, 10 kms (six miles) away. They can also sometimes watch South Korean warships chase North Korean and Chinese fishing boats. These waters in the Yellow…
U.S. considers air strikes on Iraq, holds talks with Iran
MOSUL Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama considered options for military action to support Iraq’s besieged government on Monday, and U.S. and Iranian officials held talks to stabilize the region, which has been roiled by the advance of …
