Imam’s killing in China may be aimed at making Muslim Uighurs choose sides
BEIJING (Reuters) – The murder of a state-backed imam in China’s Xinjiang region underscores an escalation in 18 months of violence and could be part of a bid by extremists to persuade moderate Muslim Uighurs to turn against Beijing’s controlled curren…
Russia to slap duties on imports from Moldova
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Friday it will impose import duties on products from Moldova, its latest move to limit trade with the former Soviet republic which signed a free-trade deal with the European Union in June.
Bulgaria signs nuclear deal with Westinghouse
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria, one of five EU states that depend totally on Russia for nuclear fuel, and Westinghouse Electric Company signed a shareholder agreement on Friday paving the way for construction of a new nuclear reactor estimated to cost $5 b…
At least 40 dead in Israeli shelling in Gaza Strip: hospital
GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli shelling near the southern Gaza town of Rafah killed at least 40 people on Friday, the local hospital said, as a ceasefire that went into effect only hours earlier crumbled.
Bulgarian court to decide on extradition of Putin opponent
SOFIA (Reuters) – A Bulgarian court said it would decide on Friday whether to extradite to Moscow a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was detained in Sofia earlier this week.
Ukraine premier stays on, envoys agree on crash site route
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s parliament rejected Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk’s resignation on Thursday and finally passed legislation he said was needed to finance an army offensive against a separatist rebellion in the east and avert a national defa…
Greece evacuates embassy staff, foreign nationals from Libya
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece safely evacuated embassy staff and more than one hundred Chinese and European nationals from Libya early on Friday with a navy frigate sailing back to the Greek port of Piraeus, its defence ministry said.
For wandering tankers with $300 million of Kurdish crude, end-game still in doubt
LONDON (Reuters) – After a legal show-down in Texas this week, the outlook for a handful of tankers holding some $300 million worth of Kurdish oil is not looking good.
Japan offers vessels to Vietnam to boost its sea strength
HANOI (Reuters) – Japan will give six navy boats to Vietnam to boost its patrols and surveillance in the South China Sea, Japan’s foreign minister said on Friday, in the latest sign of a strengthening of alliances between states locked in maritime rows…
China’s Xi pledges hard strike against military corruption
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to strike hard against graft in the military, urging soldiers to banish corrupt practices and ensure their loyalty to the ruling Communist Party, state media reported on Friday.
