Macedonia’s conservative PM set to win snap election
SKOPJE (Reuters) – Macedonian voters look likely to hand conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski a third term in a snap parliamentary election on Sunday, opting for relative economic stability and shrugging off opposition claims of creeping authori…
Japan’s Mitsui pays China to release seized ship-court
BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd paid about $29 million for the release of a ship seized by China over a dispute that dates back to the 1930s war between the countries, China’s Supreme Court said on Thursday.
China welcomes Palestinian unity deal, hopes will help peace
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry welcomed on Thursday a unity pact agreed between the Gaza-based Islamist group Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestine Liberation Organisation, saying Beijing hoped this would help peace talks with Isra…
Tokyo governor says “great significance” to Beijing visit
BEIJING (Reuters) – The governor of the Japanese capital Tokyo said on Thursday there was “great significance” in his visit to the Chinese capital and the trip could be a step toward repairing strained bilateral ties.
Three Americans killed in Kabul hospital attack: U.S. embassy
KABUL (Reuters) – Three Americans were killed on Thursday when a security guard opened fire at an international hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul, the U.S. embassy said, in the latest of a series of attacks against foreign civilians in the country.
India’s BJP eyes gains in south, east to cut clout of regional queens
CHENNAI, India (Reuters) – India’s opposition Bharatiya Janata Party was set to make gains in two big states in the south and east that began voting on Thursday in the sixth phase of a mammoth general election that could help it build a stable majority…
Earthquake shakes British Columbia; no injuries reported
SEATTLE (Reuters) – An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 rattled the coast of British Columbia’s Vancouver Island on Wednesday evening and was felt by hundreds of people in dozens of cities in Canada and the United States, the U.S. Geological Survey s…
Wage talks resume as South Africa platinum strike marks 13th week
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Marathon talks aimed at ending a crippling three-month strike in South Africa’s platinum sector were to resume on Thursday after the world’s top producers and union AMCU spent two days haggling over an offer tabled last week by…
Thai opposition leader seeks compromise to avert bloodshed
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Alarmed by the prospect of bloodshed in Thailand as a six-month political crisis nears a critical juncture, former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has called for talks between the government and its foes, urging compromise to resto…
Historic canonization of two popes brings joy and controversy
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Two giants of Roman Catholicism in the 20th century will become saints on Sunday at an unprecedented twin canonization that has aroused both joy and controversy in the 1.2 billion member Church.
