NZ National governemnt escapes poll punishment amid scandal
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has shrugged off a lingering ‘dirty tricks’ political scandal, and his center-right National Party is on course for a big victory in this month’s general election, opinion polls show.
Thai PM vows reform council to include people from all walks of life
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Thursday set out broad criteria for the selection of a 250-member council to draw up sweeping political reforms and approve a new constitution, saying people from all walks of life would be i…
For Fiji’s military rulers, U.N. peacekeeping a useful mask
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The capture of U.N. peacekeeping soldiers from Fiji in the Golan Heights last week has shone a light on a quiet export industry that has for decades drummed up cash for the Pacific nation and polished the tattered image of its milita…
Swedish opposition lead stable, Feminists clear parliament threshold-poll
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s center-left opposition parties’ lead over the governing coalition was stable in the past week and the Social Democrats, Green and Left parties would get 48.1 percent of votes if an election were held now, an opinion poll …
In northeast Syria, Islamic State builds a government
BEIRUT (Reuters) – In the cities and towns across the desert plains of northeast Syria, the ultra-hardline al Qaeda offshoot Islamic State has insinuated itself into nearly every aspect of daily life.
U.N. chief tries to kick-start sagging enthusiasm for climate deal
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon this month hopes to reinvigorate the years-long effort to forge a global climate deal, even as concerns grow over whether the final pact will be rigorous enough to address threa…
Brazil polls show Silva surge halted ahead of October election
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has gained some ground against opposition candidate Marina Silva whose surge in voter support for the October elections has ended, two new polls showed on Wednesday.
NATO shakes up Russia strategy over Ukraine crisis
NEWPORT Wales (Reuters) – NATO will bolster its eastern defenses and buttress support for Kiev at a summit starting on Thursday, prompted by the Ukraine crisis to enact the most radical shift in its strategy towards Russia since the end of the Cold War…
U.N. denies Golan peacekeepers ordered to hand arms to Syria rebels
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. peacekeeping chief strongly denied on Wednesday allegations from the Philippines’ army chief that Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights were ordered to surrender their weapons to Islamist militants who had trapp…
Venezuela reshuffles cabinet, backs away from economic shake-up
CARACAS (Reuters) – President Nicolas Maduro has reshuffled his cabinet in a bid to boost his popularity but shows no sign of revamping Venezuela’s troubled economy, meaning prospects of gasoline price hikes and a unification of Byzantine currency cont…
