Ukraine leader says law does not allow him to pardon Tymoshenko
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said on Friday he had no legal powers to allow his jailed rival, Yulia Tymoshenko, to go abroad for medical treatment as some European governments have urged as a solution to ending a political imp…
South Africa gold producers say strike to start from Tuesday
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s gold producers said on Friday the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) had served notice of a strike over pay demands starting from the night shift on Tuesday.
Egypt fires at Palestinian fishermen off Gaza: medics
GAZA (Reuters) – Egyptian naval police shot and wounded two Palestinian fishermen and detained five off the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, an incident that hinted at increased tension between Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers and Cairo.
U.N. inspectors arrive at military hospital in Damascus
BEIRUT (Reuters) – United Nations inspectors arrived at a military hospital in a government-held area of Damascus on Friday to visit soldiers affected by an apparent chemical attack, a Reuters witness said.
South Africa gold producers say strike to start from Tuesday
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s gold producers said on Friday they had received a 48-hour strike notice from the National Union of Mineworkers and expected the strike to take effect from the night shift on Tuesday.
Hagel assures Philippines no new permanent U.S. bases
MANILA (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel assured the Philippines on Friday that Washington had no intention of re-establishing permanent military bases despite plans to boost the U.S. presence in its former colony.
France: UK vote does not change will to act on Syria
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande said a British parliamentary vote against taking military action in Syria would not affect France’s will to act to punish Bashar al-Assad’s government for an apparent chemical weapons attack on civil…
Volatile Tajikistan sets presidential election for November 6
DUSHANBE (Reuters) – Tajikistan’s parliament on Friday called a presidential election for November 6 which is expected to extend President Imomali Rakhmon’s more than two-decade rule over the Central Asia country until 2020.
Iraq war ghosts end UK plans to take part in Syria action
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron’s plans to join a potential military strike on Syria were thwarted on Thursday night when Britain’s parliament narrowly voted against a government motion to authorize such action in principle.
Uganda denies deal over migrants deported from Israel
KAMPALA (Reuters) – The Ugandan government denied on Friday that it would accept African migrants deported from Israel after Israeli officials said they would soon send these people back to the African continent via Uganda.
