Blast rattles Madagascar over election row, no injuries
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – A makeshift bomb exploded at the entrance of a hotel in Madagascar’s capital on Thursday causing no casualties, police said, and a previously unknown group claimed responsibility telling foreigners to keep out of the nation’s e…
EU urges diplomatic efforts on Syria, ‘no military solution’
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Europe’s top officials warned against a military response in Syria on Thursday, aligning themselves more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin than President Barack Obama in how best to respond to the chemical…
Military solution in Syria would be futile, Pope tells G20
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the G20 summit, urged world leaders on Thursday to “lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution” in Syria.
South Africa’s AMCU says seven members attacked at strike-hit mine
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s AMCU union said seven of its members were attacked at Sibanye’s Beatrix gold mine on Thursday, raising fears that an until now peaceful strike in the sector may turn violent.
Planned EU privacy law no magic bullet against U.S. spying
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Stung by revelations about the scale of U.S. electronic spying, Europe has been itching to show it can protect its citizens from snooping – but planned new privacy legislation risks a head-on collision with U.S. law.
Finnish nuclear safety chief casts doubt on reactor systems test timing
HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finland’s nuclear safety chief cast doubt on Thursday on plans to start systems tests this autumn at the Olkiluoto 3 reactor, one of only a handful being built in the EU, suggesting the much-delayed project may be pushed back furth…
Germany’s Greens fall to four-year low as vote nears
BERLIN (Reuters) – Support for the German Greens has slumped to its lowest in four years just over two weeks before a federal election, with voters put off by the party’s plans to increase taxes on the rich and its attempt to persuade people to eat les…
BRICS urge G20 efforts to boost global recovery
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – The BRICS group of emerging economies called on Thursday on the Group of 20 to boost global demand and ensure that any changes in monetary policy are well flagged to minimize any disruptive “spillovers” that may resul…
Thai rubber farmers, police clash as crisis deepens
PHUNPIN, Thailand (Reuters) – Rubber farmers in southern Thailand clashed with police and threatened to shut down city halls in 14 southern provinces on Thursday after the government rejected their demands for price rises, deepening a crisis that is te…
Regulator raps Fukushima operator over ‘unreliable’ data
TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operator of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, is still putting out questionable data on radiation leaks, causing confusion and a heightened sense of crisis, Japan’s nuclear regulator said.
