Influential cleric says to resume Friday sermons amid Gulf rift
DOHA (Reuters) – An influential Qatar-based Islamist whose fiery sermons strained ties between Doha and its neighbours said on Wednesday he would resume preaching after a gap of several weeks, dismissing a suggestion he had been silent due to the diplo…
Croatian police arrest senior ruling party official for graft
ZAGREB (Reuters) – A senior local official of Croatia’s ruling Social Democrat party was arrested on Wednesday on corruption charges, a police source said.
Britain summons Spanish ambassador over Gibraltar ‘incursion’
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain summoned the Spanish ambassador on Wednesday to condemn an incursion by Spanish vessels into Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
Libyan bank staff start two-day strike after colleague shot dead at work
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Employees at one of Libya’s biggest banks began a two-day strike on Wednesday, demanding greater protection after a colleague was shot dead at work, staff and state media said.
Kazakhstan prime minister Akhmetov resigns
ASTANA (Reuters) – Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov, who had managed Central Asia’s largest economy since September 2012, said on Wednesday that he had resigned.
China detains eight in chemical plant protest
BEIJING (Reuters) – Authorities in a southern Chinese city grappling with protests against plans to build a petrochemical plant have detained eight protesters, two of the demonstrators told Reuters on Wednesday.
British PM Cameron comes under pressure over Royal Mail sell-off
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron came under pressure in parliament on Wednesday over his government’s sale of Royal Mail with the opposition Labour party accusing him of selling the firm off too cheaply to a handful of rich Londo…
Indonesian presidential hopeful Jokowi leaps ahead in opinion polls
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Already favourite to become Indonesia’s next president, Jakarta governor Joko Widodo’s popularity has surged since his candidacy for the July election was announced last month, according to the latest opinion polls.
German cabinet signs off on minimum wage from 2015
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s cabinet agreed on Wednesday to a national minimum wage of 8.50 euros ($11.75) per hour – a flagship project for the Social Democrats (SPD) who share power with Angela Merkel’s conservatives.
Suicide bomber blows himself up outside Afghan interior ministry
KABUL (Reuters) – A suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Afghan interior ministry building in the center of Kabul on Wednesday, wounding several police officers, the ministry said in a statement.