White House urges dialogue, not intimidation in China rig dispute
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Wednesday that a dispute between China and Vietnam that erupted within days of President Barack Obama’s visit to Asia to address regional tensions needs to be resolved with dialogue, not intimidation.
Nigeria rejects swap of Boko Haram prisoners for schoolgirls: UK official
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigeria’s president has rejected an offer from Islamist rebel group Boko Haram to exchange schoolgirls it abducted for imprisoned militants, but the government is open to broader talks with the rebels, a visiting British …
IMF says Mali cash to be delayed over questionable jet purchase
DAKAR (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund says it questions the rationale of and procedures that led to Mali buying a $40 million presidential jet given the country’s pledges to fight poverty, a spokesman said.
South African police vow to crack down on strike intimidation
MARIKANA, South Africa (Reuters) – South Africa’s police minister vowed to crack down on violence against platinum miners who were trying to return to work and arrest “within hours” strikers he said were behind a campaign of intimidation.
Japan’s working poor left behind by Abenomics
TOKYO (Reuters) – Last Christmas Eve, Ririko Saito and her 11-year-old daughter gathered some plastic bottles, pots and a kettle and made several trips to a nearby park to get water. Their utility had just turned off the tap after months of unpaid bill…
U.S. reconstruction push overwhelming Kabul’s finances: watchdog
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has spent $103 billion on rebuilding everything from hospitals to security forces in Afghanistan, but Kabul’s modest finances make it unlikely the projects could be maintained in the future, a top U.S. watchdog …
Qatar sets out labor reforms after rights criticism, but no timetable
DOHA (Reuters) – Qatar unveiled plans for labor reforms on Wednesday after persistent criticism from rights groups over its treatment of workers, but it set no timetable and the changes would still leave employees without a minimum wage or trade unions…
Ukraine holds talks to end crisis, rebels not invited
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s interim leaders on Wednesday pushed a plan to allow the regions a greater say over their affairs, but the exclusion of separatists from round table talks cast doubt over whether the move could defuse the crisis.
Vietnam mobs set fire to foreign factories in anti-China riots
HANOI/MANILA (Reuters) – Thousands of Vietnamese set fire to foreign factories and rampaged in industrial zones in the south of the country in an angry reaction to Chinese oil drilling in a part of the South China Sea claimed by Vietnam, officials said…
Six powers, Iran start work on drafting long-term nuclear deal
VIENNA (Reuters) – Six world powers and Iran launched a decisive phase of diplomacy on Wednesday to draft a lasting accord that would curb Tehran’s contested nuclear activity in exchange for a phased end to sanctions that have hobbled the Iranian econo…
