Japan PM close to deal on controversial U.S. base on Okinawa
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday moved close to winning approval from the island of Okinawa on a replacement for a U.S. air base, a move that would resolve a nearly 20-year-old deadlock that has strained ties with Washi…
Thai PM unveils reform plan but protesters still threaten poll
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra unveiled a plan on Wednesday to create an independent reform council to try to appease opponents who, angered by her billionaire family’s political dominance, are calling for her resignation.
Ukraine expects remaining $12 billion of Russian bailout in early 2014
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine expects a $15 billion bailout package from Russia to be fully disbursed in early 2014, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday after Kiev received the first $3 billion tranche.
China arrests university official in new graft crackdown
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has arrested a vice president of a prestigious university for suspected corruption, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday, as the government turns its anti-graft campaign to the education sector.
U.N. sends more peacekeepers to South Sudan as violence spreads
JUBA/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council approved plans on Tuesday to almost double the number of peacekeepers in South Sudan in a bid to protect civilians from violence as reports of mass graves fueled fears of ethnic bloodshed in the…
Turkey vows no cover-up despite purge of graft investigators
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s president pledged on Tuesday there would be no cover-up in a high-level corruption case, despite a government-ordered purge of police investigating it that drew protests at home and a caution from the European Union.
Amid Nepal’s chaos, royalists spy chance for a comeback
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Just a few years ago, Nepal’s royal family looked consigned to the history books.
Egypt arrests Mursi’s ex-prime minister on his way to Sudan
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian security forces on Tuesday arrested the former prime minister of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi who was sentenced to one year in jail for failing to implement a court ruling to renationalize a textile firm.
Israeli civilian, Palestinian girl killed in Gaza flare-up
GAZA (Reuters) – A Gaza sniper shot dead an Israeli civilian over the border on Tuesday and Israel hit back with air strikes on two Hamas training camps which hospital officials said killed a Palestinian girl near one of the targets.
Wife of Kazakh oligarch thanks Italy after travel ban dropped
ROME (Reuters) – The wife of an exiled Kazakh oligarch accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his former bank thanked Italy on Tuesday for helping her to overturn a travel ban, months after she was expelled from Rome.
