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Japan has restarted its first nuclear reactor under new safety rules following the 2011 Fukushima disaster. All Japan’s nuclear plants were gradually shut down after a series of meltdowns at the Fukushima plant sparked by the tsunami and earthquake. But after passing stringent new safety tests, Kyushu Electric Power restarted the number one reactor at its Sendai plant on Tuesday ...

China’s central bank has devalued the national currency, the yuan, to its lowest rate against the US dollar in almost three years. The lender said the move was a “one-off depreciation” of 1.9% in a move to make the exchange rate more market-oriented. It comes in the wake of a string of weak economic data from the world’s second largest ...

Greece has agreed a bailout deal “in principle” with its creditors, the European Commission has said. The Commission said a technical agreement had been reached with Greece, which now requires political approval. Earlier, Greece’s Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos had said “two or three small issues,” were yet to be resolved with lenders, following overnight talks in Athens. A deal is ...

The Iraqi parliament has unanimously approved reforms aimed at stamping out corruption, reducing government waste and easing sectarian tensions. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s programme was pushed through without debate, according to parliamentary speaker Salim al-Juburi. Under the plan, Mr Abadi will cut spending and eliminate senior posts. It follows recent anti-government protests over an unreliable electricity supply amid a major ...

Ukraine has banned 38 books published in Russia, alleging that they spread “hate ideology” and “separatism”. The ban includes works by Russian nationalists Alexander Dugin, Eduard Limonov and Sergei Glazyev. The blacklist was published by the Ukrainian State Television and Radio Committee. It accused Russia of waging “information warfare” against Ukraine. Ukraine and Western leaders say Russia is fomenting separatism ...

Australia’s Prime Minister has rejected a proposal to consult Aboriginal people first about recognising them in the nation’s constitution. Aboriginal leaders want their own people to agree first on how to move towards constitutional recognition for the country’s first peoples. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said such a move would not gain broader support. Indigenous Australians are not mentioned in the ...

Evacuation orders have been given to 13,000 people in California as firefighters struggle to contain some 20 wildfires. Some 9,000 firefighters worked throughout Monday in steep terrain and rugged conditions, officials said. The biggest blaze – the so-called Rocky fire north of San Francisco – has already consumed more than 90 square miles (233 sq km) of land. On Monday ...

A German conservative MP, Martin Patzelt, has taken two Eritrean refugees into his home and is helping the young men find jobs locally. Mr Patzelt, of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), lives near Frankfurt/Oder, in eastern Germany. The Eritreans have been staying with him for a month. Such initiatives help to “get rid of the polarisation and hostility” towards ...

Backed by Arab coalition assault, forces fighting with loyalists of exiled President Hadi take back al-Anad in Lahej Forces battling Houthi fighters in Yemen say they have captured the country’s largest military base following intense clashes which left dozens killed. In a statement on Monday, the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi claimed complete control of al-Anad base in Lahej ...

Delta, United and American Airlines have banned the shipment of big-game trophies on flights after the illegal killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. The airlines announced that they would no longer transport lion, rhinoceros, leopard, elephant or buffalo remains. They have not, however, given official reasons for their announcements. Delta flies direct to a number of African cities and ...