Afghan president fumes at prisoner deal made behind his back: source
KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country, a senior source…
Swedish aid to help Western Balkans meet EU entry rules
SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Sweden will give four Western Balkan countries 400 million euros ($546 million) in aid to carry out reforms needed to qualify to join the European Union, the Swedish ambassador in Bosnia said on Monday.
‘Chavista’ school books stoke passions in Venezuela
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s government has published dozens of new textbooks that glorify late president Hugo Chavez and belittle his adversaries, infuriating opposition critics who call them part of a campaign to indoctrinate school children.
Airlines look for ways to swiftly adopt aircraft tracking system
DOHA (Reuters) – Mystified by the loss of Malaysian jetliner MH370, some airlines will not wait for an industrywide solution to keeping track of their aircraft flights in real time, provided products are offered at the right price, industry executives …
Merkel says Juncker can be approved with ‘qualified majority’
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she was pressing fellow EU leaders to back Jean-Claude Juncker for the post of European Commission president, but also noted it could be pushed through without the backing of all.
Serbian PM demands OSCE apology over allegations of censorship
BELGRADE (Reuters) – Serbia’s prime minister accused Europe’s chief security and rights watchdog of lying on Monday after it alleged his government tried to smother online criticism of its handling of devastating floods last month.
U.N. nuclear chief upbeat on Iran but says bomb probe will take time
VIENNA (Reuters) – The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday that Iran had begun to engage substantively with a long-thwarted probe into suspected atom bomb research, but that more was needed to clear up his concerns.
Thai army rulers prepare emergency economic measures
BANGKOK (Reuters) – The military junta running Thailand has drawn up a list of emergency measures such as price caps on fuel and loan guarantees for small firms to kick-start an economy threatened by recession after months of political turmoil.
Yemen’s Saleh denies theft, challenges accusers
SANAA (Reuters) – Other Yemeni officials may have looted public funds, but former president Ali Abdullah Saleh says he was not one of them and he has challenged his authorities to find one dollar acquired inappropriately and hold him to account.
France arrests four over suspected Syrian jihadist ring
PARIS (Reuters) – French police arrested four people on Monday suspected of ties with Islamist groups fighting in Syria, the interior minister said, after the country introduced new measures to stop its citizens from becoming radicalized.
