Japan, Australia clinch trade deal as U.S.-Tokyo talks heat up
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan and Australia clinched a basic trade deal on Monday to cut import tariffs, as U.S. and Japanese officials stepped up efforts to reach a parallel agreement that would re-energize stalled talks on a broader regional pact.
Bouteflika to focus on Algerian economic reform: official
PARIS (Reuters) – Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has recovered strongly enough from a stroke to govern and will push economic reforms, including loosening restrictions on foreign investors if re-elected this month, campaign spokesman Amara Ben…
Pakistan military will ‘preserve dignity’ despite ex-chief’s trial
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s military will protect its dignity “at all costs”, the army chief said on Monday in an apparent show of irritation over the treason trial of former army chief and president Pervez Musharraf.
Egypt court upholds jailing of leading pro-democracy activists
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian appeals court on Monday upheld the jailing of three leading figures of the 2011 pro-democracy uprising, tightening a crackdown on secular activists opposed to the army-backed government.
Syria’s Assad secure, will seek re-election: Hezbollah leader
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will stand for re-election this year and no longer faces a threat of being overthrown, the head of his Lebanese Shi’ite ally Hezbollah said in an interview published on Monday.
Two United Nations workers killed in Somalia
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Two foreign consultants working for the United Nations anti-drugs agency in Somalia were shot dead on Monday at an airport in north central Somalia, a U.N. official said.
Putin warns against letting West use anti-Kremlin groups
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin told the FSB security service on Monday to ensure Russia did not follow what he said was Ukraine’s example by letting the West use local groups for “destructive” purposes.
U.S. presses on with Mideast talks rescue attempt
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – U.S. efforts to save Middle East peace talks from collapse showed little sign of progress on Monday amid threats from Israel to retaliate for what it saw as unilateral Palestinian moves towards statehood.
U.S. to send F-16 jets to Romania for exercises
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – The United States will deploy F-16 fighter jets to Romania this month as part of planned joint exercises, the NATO member’s defense minister was quoted as saying, amid rising tensions in neighboring Ukraine after Russia’s annexati…
Fighting in Palestinian camp in south Lebanon kills five
SIDON, Lebanon (Reuters) – At least five people were killed in fighting on Monday between Palestinian factions in a refugee camp near Lebanon’s southern city of Sidon, local sources said.
