Brazil police summon ruling party treasurer in Petrobras probe
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian federal police summoned João Vaccari Neto, the treasurer for the country’s ruling political party, for questioning in a corruption probe focused on state-run oil company Petrobras on Thursday, as the investigation broadens to include political operators.
Hollande taps Charlie Hebdo spirit for ‘national unity’ drive
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande sought on Thursday to capitalize on a sense of national unity inspired by last month’s Islamist attacks in Paris and announced a new public service job scheme and initiatives in housing and education…
Tunisia approves secular-Islamist coalition government
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s parliament approved a coalition cabinet on Thursday including secularists, Islamists and smaller parties, in the latest step in its transition to full democracy following a 2011 uprising.
Kosovo considering pre-2009 debt write-off to tackle unrest
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo may write off a range of debts racked up by citizens before 2009, the government said on Thursday in a move to tackle widespread dissatisfaction fuelling unrest and a new wave of emigration to western Europe.
Obama, Dalai Lama share greetings at prayer event
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama exchanged greetings but did not meet directly at a religious event in Washington closely watched by Beijing, which has warned against any meetings with Tibet’s exiled spiritual leade…
Female jihadist guide dispels myths of life under Islamic State: thinktank
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Girls may marry at nine, the “most pure” will be wed by 16 or 17 and all women should consider motherhood the purpose of their existence, according to a manifesto attributed to an all-female branch of the Islamic S…
Palace apologizes over Belgian queen mother ‘death’ notice
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium’s royal family has apologized to members of the public who were sent official cards that wrongly appeared to announce the death of King Philippe’s mother.
Pope orders bishops to cooperate with sex abuse commission
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Thursday ordered Roman Catholic bishops around the world to cooperate as a matter of priority with a commission he set up to protect children from sexual abuse by clerics, even if it unearths new scandals.
Four security alerts in North Ireland including bomb, no injuries
LONDON (Reuters) – A bomb has exploded under a car in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland but no one was injured, while part of a major train line has been suspended in a separate security alert, police said on Thursday.
Venezuela arrests pharmacy chain owners in ‘economic war’
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela has arrested two bosses of a major pharmacy chain accused of exacerbating long shopping lines in what President Nicolas Maduro calls “an economic war” underway in the recession-hit OPEC nation.
