Reuters, Vienna
Overshadowed by Europe’s twin dramas over refugees and Greek debt, debate is bubbling up over how to strengthen European monetary union after six years of debilitating crisis.
It pits those who believe the 19-nation euro zone needs to take a bold step toward federal integration to survive as a stable currency area on one side, against those who argue that with scant public or political appetite for sharing more sovereignty, Europe just has to keep muddling through with modest, incremental change.
US, Chinese officials talk cybersecurity
AFP, Washington
Senior US and Chinese officials met to discuss cybersecurity and other issues ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington later this month, the White House said Saturday.
Cybersecurity is a thorny topic between the two powers, and China has long been blamed for cyber attacks on US commercial interests and sensitive government personnel records.
Japan flood death toll rises to 5
AFP, Tokyo
The number of people who died in floods which devastated Japan this week reached five Sunday as rescuers continued their search for more than a dozen still missing.
Police said they found the body of a 68-year-old man in Tochigi, north of Tokyo, in the early morning, the fifth located in the rescue operation.
Indian shopkeeper wanted over blast
BBC, New Delhi
Indian police are searching for the owner of a shop which they say had illegally stored explosives that triggered a blast, killing 90 people.
Most of those who died were at a neighbouring restaurant in Petlawad in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Yemen’s exiled president won’t attend talks
AP, Sanaa
Yemen’s internationally recognized president will not participate in U.N.-brokered talks later this week with Shiite rebels who control the capital and much of the country’s north, his office said Sunday.
The statement said there would be no talks with the rebels, known as Houthis, unless they accept a U.N. resolution that obliges them to withdraw from areas they seized and surrender weapons taken from state institutions.
Russia votes in local polls
AFP, Moscow
Russians voted in local elections on Sunday expected to confirm the ruling party’s dominance despite a dogged campaign by the opposition led by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Polls opened in far eastern Russia at 11 pm Moscow time (2000 GMT Saturday), with more than 59 million Russians eligible to participate across the country.
