African Union gives Zimbabwe election early thumbs up
HARARE (Reuters) – Initial reports from Zimbabwe’s elections showed a peaceful, orderly and free and fair vote, Olusegun Obasanjo, the head of the African Union monitoring team, told reporters on Wednesday.
Suspected Islamists steal 125 kg of dynamite in north Nigeria
DAMATURU, Nigeria, July 31 – Gunmen suspected to be allied to Islamist sect Boko Haram have stormed a construction site in northeast Nigeria, carting off 125 kg (275 pounds) of dynamite and hundreds of detonators, two security sources said on Wednesday…
Iran grants Syria $3.6 billion credit to buy oil products
AMMAN (Reuters) – Syria and Iran signed a deal this week to activate a $3.6 billion credit facility to buy oil products to shore up President Bashar al-Assad’s war battered economy, officials and bankers said on Wednesday.
Brazilian airport workers strike for higher wages; flights unaffected
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Thousands of Brazilian airport workers went on strike on Wednesday to demand higher wages, although contingency plans kept flights running on time, according to state airport agency Infraero.
Syrian opposition plans new government in August
DOHA (Reuters) – Syria’s opposition plans to set up an interim government in August to run areas under rebel control, an opposition official said on Wednesday.
Nigeria opposition coalition cleared to run in poll
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s electoral commission has approved the merger of three main opposition parties into a bloc that could pose the most credible threat yet to the long-ruling party of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Turkish militants held in Greece for weapons: minister
ANKARA/ATHENS (Reuters) – Two members of a Turkish militant group have been arrested in Greek waters with a boatload of weapons heading for Turkey, Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler said in Ankara on Wednesday.
With banter and blankets, Zimbabweans make their choice
MUTARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) – Even before the polls opened in Manicaland, a key swing province in eastern Zimbabwe, political banter and blankets were slowly warming hundreds of voters queuing patiently outside a polling station in the bitter pre-dawn c…
Exclusive: Russian billionaire seeks U.S. government financing for luxury jets
NEW YORK/ATLANTA (Reuters) – Billionaire Russian businessman Gennady Timchenko, a long-time associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, plans to seek U.S. government-backed funding to buy luxury aircraft, Reuters has learned.
China’s Xi says seeks peace in sea disputes but must be alert
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Politburo on Wednesday the country wanted to resolve its maritime territorial disputes peacefully and through talks, but would not compromise on sovereignty and had to step up its defensive capa…
