Israel bombs Gaza militants after intensive rocket fire
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel bombed 29 targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military said, after Palestinian militants in the coastal territory fired 60 rockets into Israel in the heaviest such barrage since 2012.
Three more die in Venezuela unrest, students battle troops
CARACAS (Reuters) – Protesters battled soldiers in the streets of Caracas again on Wednesday as three more fatal shootings raised to 25 the death toll from a month of demonstrations against Venezuela’s socialist government.
Iran says seals gas export deal with Oman
MUSCAT (Reuters) – Iran has sealed an agreement to export 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Oman, Iran’s state news agency IRNA said on Wednesday, in a deal that also involves building a pipeline across the Gulf at a cost of about $1 billion.
Egypt says two Brotherhood members arrested in the Gulf
CAIRO (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have arrested two members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood at Cairo’s request for committing violence in Port Said before fleeing abroad, Egypt’s prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
Italy presents sweeping tax cuts, plans to raise deficit goal
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Wednesday presented a sweeping package of tax cuts, saying they could help economic recovery in the euro zone’s third largest economy without breaking EU budget deficit limits.
Algerian premier to quit to run Bouteflika election campaign: source
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal will resign on Thursday to run the reelection campaign of the country’s ageing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, a source close to the presidency said on Wednesday.
Estonia’s ruling party tries new PM candidate as Kallas drops bid
TALLINN (Reuters) – Estonia’s ruling party was forced to pick a new candidate for the job of prime minister on Wednesday after its first choice, EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, pulled out complaining of a smear campaign.
French government on defensive over Sarkozy phone-taps
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s justice minister on Wednesday defied calls for her to quit after it emerged that she knew former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s phone was being tapped, apparently contradicting an earlier statement from her.
Algerian premier to quit to run Bouteflika election campaign: source
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal will resign on Thursday to become campaign director for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the ageing independence leader who is running for re-election, a source close to the presidency said o…
Israel’s parliament toughens referendum-on-peace law
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s parliament on Wednesday toughened a law requiring a public referendum on potential land-for-peace deals involving withdrawals from land annexed by Israel.
