North Sea tax change to end drillers’ 20-year tax holiday
LONDON (Reuters) – A planned change in the way Britain taxes North Sea drillers exposes the loophole in a system that allowed an industry with annual revenues of 2 billion pounds to pay almost no corporation tax for two decades, prompting accusations t…
Public employees demand big raise from Lebanese parliament
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Thousands of Lebanese teachers, civil servants and children rallied outside parliament on Wednesday in the biggest of a year of pay protests as the assembly debated a much-delayed bill on public sector salaries.
Scottish independence bid flags questions about Union Jack
LONDON (Reuters) – For centuries the Union Jack has been the symbol of British power across the globe but a bid by secessionists in Scotland to break the union with England has thrust the future of the red-white-and-blue flag into question.
‘Stay strong,’ union boss tells South Africa platinum strikers
MARIKANA, South Africa (Reuters) – The president of South Africa’s striking AMCU union urged its members on Wednesday to remain strong in the face of efforts by the world’s top platinum firms to woo miners to end a 16-week stoppage, the longest and cos…
Afghanistan delays election result announcement till Thursday
KABUL (Reuters) – The final result of the presidential election held in Afghanistan over a month ago will be announced on Thursday, the country’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) said, delaying the announcement by a day.
Europe’s centre-right leads by a sliver before EU election: poll
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The center-right is set to win the most seats in European Parliament elections next week, but its wafer-thin poll lead suggests the chances of securing the presidency of the European Commission are uncertain.
Dutch populist Wilders targets Moroccans in EU campaign
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A popular video on YouTube shows a dark-skinned young man trailing a suitcase through Dutch streets.
Islamist militants hit Yemeni army posts, 18 dead
SANAA (Reuters) – At least eight Yemeni soldiers and 10 al Qaeda militants were killed in clashes on Wednesday when insurgents attacked two military posts in a southern province where the government mounted an offensive two weeks ago, military sources …
Libyan soldiers block entrance to PM’s office to demand pay
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libyan soldiers in charge of securing the prime minister’s office blocked cars from leaving the building on Wednesday in protest at not having been paid, officials said.
Egypt seizes bomb-making material near Suez Canal
CAIRO (Reuters) – Fifteen tons of a material used to make explosives have been seized in a town straddling the Suez Canal, the Egyptian army said on Wednesday, one of the biggest such hauls since the start of a campaign against Islamist militants in th…
