United Kingdom’s fate hinges on a tale of two referendums
LONDON (Reuters) – The United Kingdom has existed for more than three centuries, and its territorial integrity has buckled only once – when Irish nationalists created a breakaway republic almost 100 years ago.
Islamists attack house of Nigerian general, one soldier killed
MAIDUGURI (Reuters) – Islamist group Boko Haram attacked the house of an army general in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state overnight, triggering a gun battle with soldiers guarding it that left one of them dead, police said on Wednesday.
Former UK PM Blair offered to help Murdoch over phone-hacking
LONDON (Reuters) – Former British prime minister Tony Blair offered to act as a secret adviser to Rupert Murdoch during his media empire’s phone-hacking scandal, suggesting the firm follow steps he took to calm public anger over the Iraq war, a London …
Italy’s Renzi expects government in place by Monday
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister-designate Matteo Renzi said he expected his new government to be in place in time for a formal vote of confidence in parliament on Monday, after he wrapped up consultations with the main political parties.
Suicide bombers target Iranian center in Beirut
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Two suicide bombers targeted the Iranian cultural center in Beirut on Wednesday, killing four people and themselves in an attack claimed by Sunni militants who said it was a response to the intervention of Iran and Hezbollah in the S…
Thai court warns against using emergency powers to disperse protests
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A Thai court endorsed on Wednesday Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s declaration of a state of emergency, a day after five people were killed in gunbattles in Bangkok, but warned the government not to use it to disperse peaceful …
Czechs give up EU rights charter opt-out, plan joining fiscal pact
PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic’s new center-left government signaled a turn away from the euro-skepticism of the previous government on Wednesday, when it opened debate on joining the EU’s fiscal compact and said it would give up an opt-out from…
New fighting in Central African Republic blocks U.N. visit
BANGUI (Reuters) – Heavy fighting erupted near the airport in Central African Republic’s capital of Bangui on Wednesday, as Christian militia tried to block the evacuation of Muslims and disrupted a visit by a top United Nations aid official, witnesses…
Austrian president weighs visit to Iran
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian President Hans Fischer has been invited to Iran, a country keen to revive ties with the EU member that for centuries was Tehran’s bridgehead to Europe.
UK says to protest over Spanish incursion into Gibraltar’s waters
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday it would make a formal “high level” protest to Spain over what the British Foreign Office described as an incursion into Gibraltar’s territorial waters by the Spanish Navy earlier this week.
