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China Dec factory contraction deepens, more stimulus on the cards

By Liangping Gao and Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s manufacturing activity shrank for a third straight month in December and weakened more than expected, clouding the outlook for the country’s economic recovery and raising the case for fresh stimulus measures in the new year. The government has in recent months introduced a series of policies …

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Albania’s former PM placed under house arrest in corruption probe

PRISTINA (Reuters) -A court in Albania on Saturday ordered that former president and prime minister Sali Berisha be placed under house arrest following investigation on a corruption case relating to his time in office. Prosecutors accuse Berisha, 79, of using his influence while premier between 2005 and 2009 to favor his daughter’s husband in the …

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Russia says 20 dead after ‘indiscriminate’ Ukrainian strikes on Belgorod

(Reuters) -Russia said 20 people including two children had been killed and 111 injured in “indiscriminate” Ukrainian strikes allegedly including cluster bombs on the Russian provincial capital of Belgorod on Saturday, and vowed to retaliate. The Belgorod region, which adjoins northern Ukraine, has like other Russian border zones suffered shelling and drone attacks all year …

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McDonald’s Malaysia sues Israel boycott movement for $1 million in damages

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – McDonald’s Malaysia has sued a movement promoting boycotts against Israel for “false and defamatory statements” that it says hurt its business, seeking damages amounting to 6 million ringgit ($1.31 million). Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country, is a staunch supporter of the Palestinians, and some Western fast-food brands in the country, as in …

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Eurostar service to resume on Sunday after floods caused outages

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) -Eurostar train services linking London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam will fully resume on Sunday, the company said in a statement late on Saturday, after flooding in railway tunnels in southeastern England forced mass cancellations. “There will be some speed restrictions in place in the morning which may lead to delays, and stations …

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Factbox-The latest results in Congo’s disputed election

(Reuters) -Democratic Republic of Congo is gradually releasing preliminary results from the Dec. 20 presidential election following a chaotic vote and an unscheduled ballot extension that have led the opposition to demand a re-run. Below are the latest figures from the election commission, known as the CENI, along with details about how the commission is …

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Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to its people, presidential frontrunner says

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence belong to its people, the frontrunner to be its next president said on Saturday in an often testy debate with the other two candidates dominated by arguments over China and tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary elections are happening as China has stepped …

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California coast braces for next onslaught of treacherous surf

By Sandra Stojanovic VENTURA, California (Reuters) – Beachfront California residents on Friday cleaned up from flood damage unleashed by massive waves that pounded the coastline a day earlier and braced for another bout of extreme surf and heavy showers forecast into the weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) posted high surf and coastal flood warnings …

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