Ireland’s Fianna Fail, Fine Gael to meet for initial government talks
The leaders of Ireland’s Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two of the three largest parties to emerge from a Feb. 8 election, will meet early next week for what they described as exploratory talks as negotiations to form a government step up.
Re-arrested Turkish businessman accuses Erdogan of intervening in case
Prominent Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala, re-arrested this week hours after being acquitted over his role in nationwide 2013 protests, said on Friday President Tayyip Erdogan had intervened to prevent his release from prison.
Taliban says agreement with U.S. to be signed February 29 in front of international observers
The United States and the Afghan Taliban will sign an agreement at a ceremony attended by international observers on Feb 29, the Taliban spokesman said in a statement on Friday.
Chinese capital battles jump in virus cases as infections ease elsewhere
The number of people who have contracted the coronavirus in the Chinese capital has jumped sharply, including more than 30 in an outbreak at a major hospital, while many other parts of the country are reporting fewer or no new infections.
Jail cases add to China coronavirus tally as SKorea infections double
The new coronavirus has infected about 500 people in China’s prisons, almost half outside the province at the centre of the epidemic, authorities said on Friday, while South Korea reported 100 new cases that doubled its infections.
South Korean city recoils as coronavirus cases double overnight
The malls and restaurants in Daegu were empty and streets eerily quiet on Friday after the number of cases of coronavirus in South Korea doubled overnight to 204, almost all of them in and around the fourth largest city.
Turning point of coronavirus outbreak in China has not come: politburo
The turning point of coronavirus outbreak in China has not come yet and the situation in Hubei province remained severe and complex, the state television quoted a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping as saying on Friday.
Pungent durian stack up in Malaysia as coronavirus freezes China demand
A shortage of labour and electrical power outlets in backed-up Chinese ports as a result of the coronavirus outbreak is disrupting shipments of frozen durian from Malaysia to its biggest market for the pungent fruit.
Germany’s SPD eyes state vote win after Merkel party crisis
A leadership crisis in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party could help her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners and the Greens in a state vote on Sunday, the first electoral test since her protegee gave up ambitions for the top job.
U.N. says Libya ceasefire talks back on track in Geneva
The United Nations said on Friday ceasefire talks were back on track between the forces fighting over Libya’s capital, days after the internationally recognized government pulled out of the negotiations as its foes shelled Tripoli’s port.
