Poll seen as referendum on Abenomics
Campaigning began in Japan on Tuesday ahead of a December 14 national election that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has described as a referendum on his "Abenomics" growth policy. The 60-year-old premier still has two years left on his term, but he called for the vote in the wake of his decision last month to delay a planned sales tax hike to 10% next year. More than 1,180 candidates are contesting 475 legislative seats in the powerful lower house of parliament.
Boko Haram launches new raids in Nigeria
The Islamist Boko Haram militant roup on Monday launched two separate attacks on state capitals in northeast Nigeria, when two female suicide bombers hit a busy market and fighters launched a major assault on police. The blasts in Maiduguri and the dawn raid in Damaturu came just days after an attack on a mosque in the northern city of Kano left at least 120 people dead and hundreds injured. Hospital staff saying 16 people died in the suicide blasts. Reports from Damaturu claimed more than 40 Boko Haram gunmen had been killed in fighting.
Millions of Syrians face hunger as aid falls short
The United Nation's World Food Programme announced on Monday it would suspend food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees due to a funding problem. The Rome-based agency said many refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt would "go hungry" if donors failed to provide the $64 million needed for the distribution of food vouchers through this month. With winter arriving, the funding problems "couldn't come at a worse time", the agency said.
Hong Kong warns protesters not to return
Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists clashed with police on Monday and forced the government headquarters in the city to a temporary closure, defying orders to retreat after more than two months of sustained protests, Reuters reported. Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said police would now take "resolute action" and warned the protestors not to return.
Russia drops South Stream gas pipeline plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would not go ahead with the proposed South Stream gas pipeline, which was to have run under the Black Sea to southern and central Europe. He blamed European opposition to the South Stream plan, which was funded by Russia's state gas giant Gazprom. Speaking on a visit to Turkey, he said Russia would instead look at creating a gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border.
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Campaigning began in Japan on Tuesday ahead of a December 14 national election that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has described as a referendum on his "Abenomics" growth policy. The 60-year-old premier still has two years left on his term, but he called for the vote in the wake of his decision last month to delay a planned sales tax hike to 10% next year. More than 1,180 candidates are contesting 475 legislative seats in the powerful lower house of parliament.
Boko Haram launches new raids in Nigeria
The Islamist Boko Haram militant roup on Monday launched two separate attacks on state capitals in northeast Nigeria, when two female suicide bombers hit a busy market and fighters launched a major assault on police. The blasts in Maiduguri and the dawn raid in Damaturu came just days after an attack on a mosque in the northern city of Kano left at least 120 people dead and hundreds injured. Hospital staff saying 16 people died in the suicide blasts. Reports from Damaturu claimed more than 40 Boko Haram gunmen had been killed in fighting.
Millions of Syrians face hunger as aid falls short
The United Nation's World Food Programme announced on Monday it would suspend food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees due to a funding problem. The Rome-based agency said many refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt would "go hungry" if donors failed to provide the $64 million needed for the distribution of food vouchers through this month. With winter arriving, the funding problems "couldn't come at a worse time", the agency said.
Hong Kong warns protesters not to return
Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists clashed with police on Monday and forced the government headquarters in the city to a temporary closure, defying orders to retreat after more than two months of sustained protests, Reuters reported. Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said police would now take "resolute action" and warned the protestors not to return.
Russia drops South Stream gas pipeline plan
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would not go ahead with the proposed South Stream gas pipeline, which was to have run under the Black Sea to southern and central Europe. He blamed European opposition to the South Stream plan, which was funded by Russia's state gas giant Gazprom. Speaking on a visit to Turkey, he said Russia would instead look at creating a gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border.
