News about politics

Japan PM calls on Putin to work towards Ukraine peace Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to play a constructive role in finding "peaceful and diplomatic solutions" to the crisis in Ukraine.

25 June 2015

IMF boss Lagarde says ready to 'consider' 2nd term Christine Lagarde has said she is ready to consider a second term as head of the International Monetary Fund in an interview with a French magazine to be published.

25 June 2015

Greece in 'final stretch' of talks: Varoufakis Crisis-hit Greece is in the "final stretch" of negotiations with creditors and could reach agreement shortly, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis indicated.

24 June 2015

Turkish sculptor faces jail for 'insulting' Erdogan A prominent Turkish sculptor risks over four years in prison on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after being locked in a dispute with the Turkish strongman over one of his works.

24 June 2015

Iran leader restates 'red lines' for nuclear deal Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei restated his country's red lines for a nuclear deal in a dramatic intervention during a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani and top officials.

24 June 2015

Austria to file EU complaint against UK nuclear plant Austria will next week officially file a legal complaint in Brussels against state subsidies for Britain's planned new Hinkley Point nuclear power plant.

24 June 2015

Hungary suspends key EU asylum claim rule Hungary has indefinitely suspended the application of a key EU asylum rule, which requires a migrant's claim to be processed in the EU country they first arrive in.

24 June 2015

'Still a lot do on Greece': French PM French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that there is "still a lot of work to do" if Greece and its creditors are to reach an agreement to avert a possible default.

24 June 2015

In a while crocodile: safaris yet to be snapped up by Australia Australia's top official on indigenous issues said crocodile safaris should be used to help fund impoverished Aboriginal communities.

23 June 2015

Japan announces dates for G7 summit in 2016 Japan will host a summit of the Group of Seven industrial democracies on May 26-27 next year, its top government spokesman said.

23 June 2015

EU launches Mediterranean migrant military mission EU foreign ministers formally approved the launch of the first phase of a military operation to target people smugglers in the Mediterranean.

23 June 2015

New Eurogroup meeting on Greece Wednesday: EU's Tusk Eurozone finance ministers will meet again in a bid to reach a final bailout deal for Greece ahead of an EU leaders' summit the following day.

23 June 2015

EU prolongs Russian economic sanctions for six months: official EU foreign ministers formally agreed to prolong to January 2016 damaging economic sanctions against Russia to ensure it fully implements Ukraine peace accords.

22 June 2015

Faith, freedom and firebombs: Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai As one of Hong Kong's most outspoken democracy advocates, media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been on the receiving end of everything from rotten animal entrails to Molotov cocktails in the past 12 months.

22 June 2015

Athens says Europe 'doesn't need IMF' on eve of crunch summit Greece does not want any more help from the IMF, minister of state Nikos Pappas said on the eve of a summit.

22 June 2015

Hollande already in campaign mode two years ahead of election His ratings are still in the doldrums and the economy is still stagnant, yet French President Francois Hollande looks ever more determined to run for re-election two years from now.

22 June 2015

Strident Obama says gun control laws will change US President Barack Obama voiced confidence that a "shocked and heartbroken" nation would eventually tighten permissive gun laws.

20 June 2015

Russia 'open to world', will continue cooperation with West: Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country was open to the world and would cooperate with the West despite persistent tensions over the Ukraine crisis.

20 June 2015

Russia warns of retaliation for Yukos overseas asset freeze Moscow warned that state-linked foreign firms in Russia could be targeted for retaliation to the freezing of Russian official assets in Western Europe over legal claims from former Yukos shareholders.

20 June 2015

Grexit 'beginning of the end of the eurozone': Greek PM A Greek exit from the eurozone would be the beginning of the end of the single currency, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was quoted.

19 June 2015

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