Merkel won’t shift further right despite Eurosceptics’ gains
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday ruled out realigning her conservatives further to the right in order to fend off a growing challenge from Eurosceptics, who surpassed expectations
Finland’s Greens to resign from government if it backs nuclear plant
HELSINKI (Reuters) – The Green Party will exit Finland’s five-party government if the coalition on Thursday decides to support Fennovoima’s Finnish-Russian nuclear project, the party’s leader said on Monday.
First task for Poland’s new PM: avoid a mutiny in the ranks
WARSAW (Reuters) – The most urgent task in Polish prime minister-designate Ewa Kopacz’s in-tray is to deal with an internal challenge to her leadership that, if mishandled, could bring down the government in eastern Europe’s biggest economic power.
Indonesia’s president-elect Widodo looks to technocrats for cabinet
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s president-elect Joko Widodo said on Monday just over half of the members of his cabinet will be technocrats, including the ministers of finance, energy and state-owned enterprises.
Thai king discharged after more than month in hospital
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, was discharged on Monday in what the palace said was a healthy condition after nearly five weeks of treatment at a Bangkok hospital for stomach inflammation.
Leading Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah freed on bail
CAIRO (Reuters) – One of Egypt’s most prominent activists, Alaa Abdel Fattah, was released on bail on Monday ahead of his re-trial on charges of violating a protest law, triggering celebrations by dozens of supporters in the court room.
South Korea finds wreckage in sea of suspected North Korean drone
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s military has recovered the wreckage of unmanned aircraft, believed to be a North Korean drone, in waters off an island near a disputed maritime border, an official said on Monday.
Iran’s leader leaves hospital after operation, in good health: state TV
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 75, left hospital on Monday a week after undergoing prostate surgery, state television reported. Official media said he was in good health.
Syria’s ‘moderate’ rebels say they need weapons, not training
JEDDAH Saudi Arabia (Reuters) – As President Barack Obama knits together an international coalition to take its campaign against Islamic State from Iraq into Syria, fighters like Ammar al-Wawi could make the difference.
An unlikely hero, Gordon Brown wrestles with Scotland’s fate
GLASGOW Scotland (Reuters) – Once mocked for claiming to have saved the world after the 2008 financial crisis, former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown may now have the fate of Scotland in his hands.
