France takes mixed messages to Germany on economy
BERLIN (Reuters) – France’s new Socialist government delivered mixed messages on Monday to Germany, its closest partner and the European Union’s pivotal power, on its priorities for reducing the budget deficit and stepping up economic reforms to boost …
Berlusconi sees social worker before final tax-fraud sentence
MILAN (Reuters) – Silvio Berlusconi has had a meeting with a social worker to determine whether he can be reinserted into civil society after serving his time for tax fraud, in the latest humiliation for the billionaire former prime minister.
Putin says West may use NGOs to stir unrest in Russia
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin told his security chiefs on Monday to ensure Russia does not follow what he said was Ukraine’s example by letting the West use local civil rights groups to foment unrest.
Sri Lanka won’t cooperate U.N. war crime probe: foreign minister
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka will not cooperate with a United Nations inquiry into alleged war crimes by government forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the final phase of their 26-year war, its foreign minister said on Monday.
Egypt court upholds jailing of leading pro-democracy activists
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian appeals court on Monday upheld the jailing of three leading figures of the 2011 pro-democracy uprising, tightening a crackdown on secular activists opposed to the army-backed government.
Hungary re-elects PM, far-right opposition gains
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has clashed repeatedly with the European Union and foreign investors over economic policy, said on Monday a weekend poll victory gave him a clear mandate to “continue what we have started”…
Israel backs Syrian opposition accusations of poison attack
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel Radio said on Monday that Israel has evidence backing Syrian opposition accusations that forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had used non-lethal chemical weapons in Damascus last month.
‘I’m scared to sleep’, tearful Pistorius tells court
PRETORIA (Reuters) – His voice trembling with emotion, Oscar Pistorius took the witness stand in his own defense on Monday, saying the Valentine’s Day shooting of his girlfriend last year had left him sleepless, terrified and plagued by nightmares.
Dutch Jesuit priest beaten and killed in Syria
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A Dutch Jesuit priest was beaten and shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his monastery in the besieged Syrian city of Homs on Monday, the Vatican said.
India kicks off world’s biggest election in remote northeast
DIBRUGARH, India (Reuters) – The first Indians cast their votes on Monday in the world’s biggest election, with Hindu nationalist opposition candidate Narendra Modi holding a strong lead but likely to fall short of a majority.
