Iran commander criticizes government over influence from West
DUBAI (Reuters) – The commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard force has criticized the government of President Hassan Rouhani as being under the influence of Western ideas, a sign of the growing tensions between the competing power centers.
Latvia’s lack of government should not affect joining euro: president
RIGA (Reuters) – Latvia is likely to enter the euro zone in January without a permanent government, but that should not affect the changeover to the euro, Latvia’s president said on Wednesday, after talks among political parties failed to produce a new…
Lawyer of Pakistani doctor who helped CIA flees after threats
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – The lawyer for a Pakistani doctor who helped the United States track down Osama bin Laden has fled Pakistan after receiving threats from militants, relatives said on Wednesday.
EU offers wider security support for Kenya after mall attack
NAIROBI (Reuters) – The European Union has offered to increase counter-terrorism support to Kenya after the Westgate mall attack in which gunmen from a Somali Islamist group killed at least 67 people in Nairobi, a senior EU official said on Wednesday.
EU must stop paying Gaza officials who don’t work, auditors say
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union should stop funding Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip because money is going to officials who do not work, European auditors said on Wednesday.
India’s Supreme Court turns the clock back with gay sex ban
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday reinstated a ban on gay sex in the world’s largest democracy, following a four-year period of decriminalization that had helped bring homosexuality into the open in the socially conservative coun…
Myanmar releases 41 political prisoners
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar freed 41 political detainees on Wednesday, a government spokesman said, bringing the country close to fulfilling a pledge by President Thein Sein to release all prisoners of conscience by the end of the year.
China puts former security chief under house arrest-sources
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has put Zhou Yongkang, one of the most powerful politicians of the last decade, under virtual house arrest while the ruling Communist Party investigates accusations of corruption against him, several sources said on Wednesday….
Indian policymakers vow to tackle inflation after poll drubbing
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Tackling inflation will be a key priority, India’s finance minister and central bank governor said on Wednesday, after high consumer prices contributed to painful losses for the ruling Congress Party in recent state elections.
Italy PM Letta promises reform package to boost growth
ROME (Reuters) – Prime Minister Enrico Letta pledged a package of institutional and economic reforms to lift Italy’s stagnant economy out of recession and reach growth of 2 percent by 2015 as he opened a debate ahead of a confidence vote in parliament …
