Court cuts Berlusconi associates’ jail terms in prostitution trial
MILAN (Reuters) – An Italian appeals court on Thursday cut jail sentences given to three associates of Silvio Berlusconi for procuring prostitutes for “bunga bunga” parties at the former prime minister’s home.
Niger’s capital city fires entire municipal police force after strike
NIAMEY (Reuters) – The mayor of Niger’s capital dismissed the city’s entire 204-strong municipal police force on Thursday after officers clashed with security forces during a protest over working conditions.
Mexico captures son of cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s army has captured the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, a government source said on Thursday.
Britain’s Major calls UKIP the ‘anti-everything’ party
BERLIN (Reuters) – Britain’s former prime minister John Major called Eurosceptic party UKIP a “thoroughly negative body” which should be pushed back onto the political sidelines, during an appearance in Berlin on Thursday.
Nigerian army, hunters and vigilantes retake towns from Boko Haram
YOLA Nigeria (Reuters) – The Nigerian army, aided by local hunters and civilian vigilantes, has recaptured two northeastern towns that had been overrun by Islamist insurgents, a state governor and residents told Reuters on Thursday.
Zen anti-Vietnam war leader suffers brain hemorrhage in France
PARIS (Reuters) – Internationally renowned Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who in the 1960s came to prominence as an opponent of the Vietnam war, is in intensive care in France after suffering a brain hemorrhage, his official website said Thursday.
Kurdistan region, Baghdad reach deal on oil exports and payments
BAGHDAD/ARBIL (Reuters) – The government of Iraq and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan have reached a deal to ease tensions over Kurdish oil exports and civil service payments from Baghdad, Iraq’s finance minister told Reuters on Thursday.
Premier of Canada’s Prince Edward Island to step down
(Reuters) – Robert Ghiz, the premier of the small Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, said on Thursday he plans to resign after almost eight years in the job.
EU set to leave decisions on tougher Russia sanctions to leaders
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – With European Union governments divided, a decision on whether to tighten economic sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict is likely to be left to EU leaders, who next meet in mid-December, diplomats said on Thursday.
Dutch fighters intercept Russian plane over Baltic Sea
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Two Dutch F16 fighter jets, part of a NATO force patrolling the skies above the Baltic states, intercepted a Russian Ilyushin transport aircraft flying near Estonian and Lithuanian air space, the Netherlands said on Thursday.
