I’m not a superman, Pope Francis says
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has played down the notion that he is a “superman” who will bring sweeping reforms to the Roman Catholic church, stressing that its ban on contraception and opposition to gay marriage will remain in place.
Nigerian president picks ex-general as defense minister
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan appointed an experienced former army general from the Muslim north as his defense minister on Wednesday, as he looks to combat an increasingly bloody Islamist insurgency there.
China signals focus on reforms and leaner, cleaner growth
BEIJING (Reuters) – China sent its strongest signal yet that its days of chasing breakneck economic growth were over, promising to wage a “war” on pollution and reduce the pace of investment to a decade-low as it pursues more sustainable expansion.
‘Jewish state’ recognition adds new Israeli-Palestinian trip wire
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – When peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians resumed last July, everyone assumed that the main sticking points would remain, as ever, security, borders, the status of Jerusalem and the plight of refugees.
Turkey’s Erdogan rallies popular support in power struggle
ANKARA (Reuters) – Before cheering crowds, he dons the mantle of tragic hero, comparing his enemies to leeches, reciting a poem that once saw him jailed for sedition and invoking the memory of his political hero, toppled and hanged by the generals.
Romanian opposition MPs challenge new government
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta faced a constitutional challenge from the centrist opposition on Wednesday that could very briefly hinder pursuit of IMF-backed reforms but seemed unlikely to scuttle his newly-forged coalition…
Behind bars: India’s Sahara urgently tries to free chief in bond case
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) – With its jet-setting boss in jail, India’s Sahara conglomerate is scrambling for a way to satisfy a court order to repay billions of dollars in an outlawed bond scheme.
North Korea holds election, Kim Jong Un runs in legendary district
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea, accused of human rights violations, elects its largely symbolic parliament this weekend, with leader Kim Jong Un, the third in his family dynasty to rule the totalitarian state, running unopposed in a legendary mountain d…
Saudis, UAE, Bahrain withdraw envoys from Qatar in security dispute
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain said on Wednesday they were withdrawing their ambassadors from Qatar because Doha had not implemented an agreement among Gulf Arab countries not to interfere in each others’ in…
Indonesia navy ammunition store explosion kills one, injures dozens
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A naval officer was killed and dozens injured when an explosion ripped through a navy ammunitions warehouse in the Indonesian capital on Wednesday.
