South Africa platinum firms, striking union return to mediated talks
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The world’s top three platinum producers and South Africa’s AMCU union agreed on Tuesday to resume wage talks aimed at ending a 17-week strike and to be mediated by the country’s labor court.
Nigeria asks U.N. al Qaeda committee to blacklist Boko Haram
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Nigeria has formally asked the U.N. Security Council al Qaeda sanctions committee to blacklist the Islamist militant group Boko Haram after the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls, U.N. diplomats said on Tuesday.
Libya parliament moves to luxury hotel after militia attack
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s parliament moved to a luxury hotel on Tuesday until a powerful militia from the western city of Misrata can take up positions to protect its old building, which was attacked by gunmen on Sunday, a parliamentary spokesman sai…
U.S. Coast Guard resumes search for four missing UK sailors in Atlantic
LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. authorities on Tuesday resumed a search for four British sailors missing in the Atlantic Ocean for four days after an appeal from the British public and UK politicians.
Putin yet to seal gas deal on China visit, wins support on Ukraine
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China and Russia failed to sign a $400 billion gas supply agreement on Tuesday, despite growing urgency for the Kremlin to seal a deal as it faces economic and political isolation in the West over the crisis in Ukraine.
Third of South Sudanese face starvation as conflict rages: U.N.
OSLO (Reuters) – More than a third of South Sudan’s population, 4 million people, will be on the edge of starvation by the end of the year as fighting rages on in the world’s newest country, U.N. officials said on Tuesday.
After air fares and share sales, U.N. seeks aid money from oil
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations is talking to oil-producing African countries about levying 10 cents on every barrel produced to provide funds to help the poorest nations improve public health, a senior U.N. official said on Tuesday.
Thai army chief urges rivals to talk after declaring martial law
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s army declared martial law nationwide on Tuesday to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but insisted the surprise intervention was not a mil…
‘No smoking gun’ in UK hacking case against Brooks, court told
LONDON (Reuters) – The phone-hacking trial of Rupert Murdoch’s former British newspaper boss Rebekah Brooks was told on Tuesday there was no “smoking gun” evidence to prove she knew about illegal interception of celebrities’ voicemail messages.
Wary of Russia, Norway urges NATO vigilance in Arctic
OSLO (Reuters) – NATO needs to become more watchful about defending its members’ security, including in the Arctic, because of the ‘completely new’ situation created by Russia’s behavior towards Ukraine, Norway’s defense minister said in an interview.