Afghanistan’s surprises
(Reuters) – In a nation more associated with calamity than consensus, the initial results of Saturday’s Afghan presidential election are startling.
Berlusconi may serve tax fraud sentence caring for the elderly
ROME (Reuters) – An Italian government agency has asked a court whether former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi can serve a one-year sentence for tax fraud by working in a center for the elderly, judicial sources said on Tuesday.
Two soldiers shot dead in northern Lebanon: security sources
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A Lebanese army officer and another soldier were killed on Tuesday when gunmen opened fire on their patrol in Lebanon’s northern Akkar province, security and medical sources said.
Britain warns Scots that independence would hurt energy industry
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Tuesday warned Scots that voting for independence would put jobs and investment in the Scottish energy industry at risk, threatening the commercial viability of North Sea oil and gas fields and renewable energy projects.
NATO to triple Baltic air patrol from next month
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO will triple its usual number of fighter jets patrolling over the Baltics next month to beef up its eastern European defenses due to tension with Russia over Ukraine, a NATO military official said on Tuesday.
France’s Valls wins parliament backing for tax and spend shake-up
PARIS (Reuters) – New Prime Minister Manuel Valls won a vote of confidence in parliament on Tuesday after unveiling planned tax and public spending cuts, vowing to bring France’s public deficit down while resisting outright austerity.
U.N. rights chief says Syria government abuses ‘far outweigh’ rebels
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Human rights violations by Syrian government forces “far outweigh” those by armed opposition groups, U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay said on Tuesday, prompting the Syrian U.N. envoy to accuse her of acting like an irrespo…
U.S. urges Burundi to drop constitution changes, avoid ‘dark days’
BUJUMBURA (Reuters) – The United States urged Burundi’s president on Tuesday to drop planned constitutional changes that could upset a delicate ethnic power balance, warning that the country risked a return to the “dark days” of civil war.
Conservative Merkel ally criticizes German foreign minister over Russia
BERLIN (Reuters) – A senior Christian Democrat criticized German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s stance on Ukraine and Russia in a signal of a possible rift appearing within Chancellor Angela Merkel’s right-left coalition over relations with…
Britain hosts first state visit of Irish president
LONDON (Reuters) – President Michael Higgins became the first Irish head of state on Tuesday to make a state visit to Britain, crowning a big improvement in historically fraught relations between Dublin and its former colonial master.
