Italy’s Renzi pledges funds for higher pensions, earlier retirement
ROME (Reuters) – Italy will set aside 6 billion euros ($6.73 billion) over the next three years to increase pensions and allow people to retire earlier, the welfare minister said on Wednesday, rowing back on a pension reform passed in 2012.
Cuba welcomes ambassador nomination but says Obama can do more
HAVANA (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s nomination of an ambassador to Cuba is welcome but he should still do more to normalize relations between the two countries during his remaining time in office, a senior Cuban government official said on Wedn…
Bulgaria announces new candidate Georgieva for U.N. leadership race
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria nominated its European commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, on Wednesday for the post of United Nations Secretary-General and withdrew support from its previous candidate Irina Bokova.
South Asia summit uncertain as India, others pull out in snub to Pakistan
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – A summit of South Asian leaders set for Islamabad in November may be called off as several countries have decided not to attend amid rising tension between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.
Catalonia to hold independence referendum with or without Spain’s consent
MADRID (Reuters) – Catalonia will hold a referendum on independence from Spain next year whether or not the central government in Madrid agrees to one, the region’s head Carles Puigdemont said on Wednesday.
Sarkozy slips in French Republican presidential race
PARIS (Reuters) – Nicolas Sarkozy has lost ground against his main conservative rival in the race for France’s Republican party presidential nomination, two polls showed on Wednesday, hurt by legal and political setbacks.
Taliban leaders watched U.S. presidential debate, blast ‘non-serious’ Trump
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Taliban leaders followed the U.S. presidential debate closely but heard nothing on Afghanistan, a spokesman said on Wednesday, adding that they were not impressed by Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom they considered…
Putin faces dilemma after vote win: How to prolong a system based on himself
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Vladimir Putin appears politically invincible after Russia’s ruling party won its biggest ever parliamentary majority this month. But he faces an increasingly pressing dilemma: How best to ensure the survival of a system built around…
Syrian government launches Aleppo ground attack
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian government forces and their allies attacked the opposition-held sector of Aleppo on several fronts on Tuesday, the biggest ground assault yet in a massive new military campaign that has destroyed a U.S.-backed ceasefire.
Britain’s fear of European army muddles EU defense plan
BRATISLAVA (Reuters) – Britain said on Tuesday it would oppose any EU proposals to combine European forces into a single army while it is still in the bloc, but France and Germany said no such plans existed and won support from NATO to strengthen EU de…
