SKOPJE, Macedonia – An opposition politician in Macedonia who ran in the presidential election last year has filed a lawsuit against the government, claiming he was the victim of a major illegal wiretapping operation. Stevo Pendarovski, and four officials from his Social Democratic and allied left-wing parties, filed lawsuits Thursday, …
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BEIJING – A Chinese women’s rights group says five feminist activists remain in police custody after authorities detained at least eight activists across the country in the run-up to International Women’s Day. Women Center board member Lu Jun said Monday that the detained activists include Li Tingting, Wei Tingting, Wang …
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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Leading clothing retailers such as Gap and H&M need to help alleviate labor abuses at factories in Cambodia that manufacture their products, a human rights organization said. New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday that a special program to safeguard workers’ interests …
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Ikea, the world’s largest furniture retailer, says it is halting its online magazine in Russia out of fears it violates the country’s law banning promotion of same-sex gay values to minors. The Swedish retailer says its magazine IKEA Family Live “demonstrates various aspects of home life regardless …
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JERUSALEM – Israel’s parliament election ended in a deadlock, according to TV exit polls, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to hold the advantage ahead of coalition talks. Here is a look at how the main players fared. NETANYAHU DID WELL Netanyahu’s Likud Party came from behind after trailing in …
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HONG KONG – China’s manufacturing fell to the lowest level in nearly a year as new orders shrank, according to a report Tuesday that underscored the weakening outlook for the world’s second biggest economy. HSBC’s preliminary manufacturing index based on a survey of factory purchasing managers dropped to an 11-month …
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DONETSK, Ukraine – Separatists in eastern Ukraine have handed over the bodies of 22 government soldiers killed during the fierce, months-long battle over the airport near the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. The bodies were given Friday to a Ukrainian volunteer organization working to recover soldiers killed in a conflict that …
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CAIRO – Egypt’s state news agency says Qatar has returned its ambassador to Cairo almost a month after recalling him in response to an Egyptian official accusing the tiny Gulf nation of supporting terrorism. The ambassador was summoned for consultation after Egypt carried out airstrikes in Libya in response to …
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JOHANNESBURG – A monitoring group says an Islamic extremist group in Nigeria released a video in which its leader praises deadly attacks in Paris last week. The SITE intelligence group said Wednesday that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau expressed joy over the violence in France in an Arabic-language video that …
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MANAMA, Bahrain – The U.S. food company behind Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers says it has begun construction of a $90 million biscuit plant in Bahrain to keep up with growing demand in the Middle East and Africa for Mondelez International’s products. The multinational conglomerate behind some of the world’s …
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