Romania’s next president says may try to topple government
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s incoming president Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday his party might try to topple Prime Minister Victor Ponta’s government next year, an early sign of the instability that might follow his surprise victory.
Iraqi security forces enter Baiji refinery: state TV
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Security forces entered Iraq’s largest refinery for the first time on Tuesday after months of battling Islamic State militants who had surrounded it, a police colonel said.
Zambia to hold presidential by-election Jan. 20
LUSAKA (Reuters) – Zambia’s interim leader announced a presidential by-election on Jan. 20 and called for calm and tolerance amid concerns about a tense contest to succeed President Michael Sata, who died in office last month.
Families in shock as Islamic State lures sons into ‘barbaric madness’
CARDIFF (Reuters) – “Do you know how much it hurts to raise someone and watch them grow and suddenly they’re just gone?” says Ahmed Muthana, 57, a retired electronics engineer in Wales whose two sons Nasser, 20, and Aseel, 17, have gone to fight for Islamic State.
Germany and Italy to keep up to 1,350 soldiers in Afghanistan
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany and Italy plan to keep a total of up to 1,350 soldiers in Afghanistan in 2015 to help train local armed forces, their defense ministries said on Tuesday, a slightly larger contingent than had been previously expected.
Bank data scheme to combat people trafficking to be extended to Europe
LONDON (Reuters) – A data sharing scheme which has involved U.S. financial institutions helping New York prosecutors uncover human trafficking cases is to be extended to Europe, one of its organizers said on Tuesday.
Chinese villagers clash with police over leprosy, STD facility
BEIJING (Reuters) – Villagers in a southern Chinese island town clashed with police and smashed vehicles after the local government began construction on a center to house patients with leprosy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Cambodia’s government uses courts to silence critics: U.N. rapporteur
GENEVA (Reuters) – Cambodia’s government is using the country’s judiciary to silence opposition parties and other critics of its policies, a United Nations investigator said on Tuesday.
Japan PM to seek fresh mandate for ‘Abenomics’ with snap poll
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that he would call an early election to seek a fresh mandate for his economic policies, and postpone an unpopular sales tax rise, a day after data showed the economy had slipped back …
Iran parliament spurns Rouhani pick for universities minister for 4th time
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s parliament on Tuesday rejected for the fourth time President Hassan Rouhani’s nominee to head the sensitive Ministry of Higher Education in a further setback to his attempts to liberalize universities.
