Moscow / AFP Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday ahead of a visit to Japan by President Vladimir Putin that the countries’ leaders are pushing to end a territorial row dating back to World War II. Relations between Moscow and Tokyo have been strained for decades over of the status of four Pacific islands near Japan’s north …

  Libreville/ AFP Gabon’s parliamentary elections, which had been due to take place this month, have been postponed for up to seven months, the interior ministry said, citing a lack of funds. The decision to delay the vote, which must now take place no later than July 29, 2017, was taken by Gabon’s constitutional court after the electoral commission told …

  Rome/ AFP With campaigning over, media silence was imposed across Italy on Saturday on the eve of a constitutional referendum seen as crucial to the future of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. In the frantic final round of campaigning which ended on Friday, Renzi’s domestic rivals vowed to knock down referendum proposals to streamline parliament and force the centre-left leader out …