Absentee Bouteflika dominates Algerian presidential poll
CHLEF, Algeria (Reuters) – At a packed sports hall in western Algeria, portraits of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika gaze down on supporters rallying for his re-election. But the leader himself, weakened by a stroke a year ago, is a no-show.
U.S. defense chief, in first, visits China’s aircraft carrier
QINGDAO, China (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited China’s sole aircraft carrier on Monday in an unprecedented opening by normally secretive Beijing to a potent symbol of its military buildup.
Bulgaria says bomber in Burgas attack was Algerian: report
SOFIA (Reuters) – The man who blew up a bus in a Bulgarian Black Sea resort in 2012, killing five Israeli tourists, was of Algerian origin and trained in camps in South Lebanon, the Bulgarian daily Presa said, quoting sources familiar with the investig…
Slovenian PM to call confidence vote, scraps VAT hike
LJUBLJANA (Reuters) – The Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said she will call a confidence vote in parliament after being forced to scrap a planned increase in value-added tax.
Pope rules Vatican bank to stay operative, approves reforms
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has decided that the troubled Vatican bank, which he had in the past not excluded closing, will remain operative and he has approved recommendations for its future, the Vatican said on Monday.
Voter anger, parties’ disarray could bring change in Bissau
DAKAR/BISSAU (Reuters) – Disarray in Guinea-Bissau’s political parties and frustration among voters could open the way for a Harvard-educated political outsider to win a presidential election next week aimed at turning the page on years of coups and cr…
China warns U.S. not to meddle in Hong Kong over democratic reform
HONG KONG (Reuters) – China has cautioned the United States not to interfere in Hong Kong affairs after Vice President Joseph Biden met two prominent pro-democracy advocates who have warned of Beijing’s tightening control of the territory, state news a…
Australia says signals detected consistent with missing Malaysian plane
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian officials said on Monday signals picked up by a black box detector attached to an Australian ship searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean were consistent with aircraft flight recorders.
Taiwan anti-China protest exposes island’s nationalist divide
TAIPEI (Reuters) – A chaotic sit-in to protest against a trade deal with China has shut down Taiwan’s parliament and exposed deep divisions over the island’s identity after seven decades of living apart from its vast, undemocratic rival across the stra…
Japan PM Abe wants to confirm further cooperation with Australia
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he wants to confirm further cooperation on defense and the economy with Australian premier Tony Abbott, who is visiting Tokyo.
