Syrian enemies may discuss prisoner swaps despite talks acrimony
MONTREUX, Switzerland (Reuters) – Syria’s government and opposition, meeting for the first time, vented their mutual hostility on Wednesday but a U.N. mediator said the enemies may be ready to discuss prisoner swaps, local ceasefires and humanitarian a…
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford calls latest rant video a ‘minor setback’
TORONTO (Reuters) – A video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford ranting in a Jamaican accent and slurring his words on Monday was a “minor setback,” he said, maintaining that his personal life did not interfere with his job.
Romania arrests suspected hacker of Bush family emails
BUCHAREST/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Romanian authorities have arrested a man they suspect of being the hacker “Guccifer,” famous for breaking into the email accounts of former U.S. President George W. Bush’s family and other prominent political and ent…
Israel says cracks Palestinian al Qaeda cell in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel said on Wednesday it had arrested two Palestinians from East Jerusalem who were planning to carry out attacks for al Qaeda, including on the U.S. Embassy, with the help of foreign suicide bombers posing as Russian tourists….
Greece offers bounty for guerrilla who failed to return to jail
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece on Wednesday offered a record 4 million euro ($5.4 million) bounty for help in capturing five fugitives after one of them went on the run during a prison furlough, deeply embarrassing authorities.
India foreign minister and Kerry discuss diplomatic row
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The United States and India could soon reschedule a visit by the U.S. energy secretary that was cancelled because of a diplomatic row, New Delhi said after foreign minister Salman Khurshid met his counterpart U.S. Secretary of Sta…
Time to end al Qaeda presence in Falluja: Iraq’s Maliki
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Wednesday it was time to clear al Qaeda-linked militants out of the rebel-held city of Falluja, but set no deadline for any military assault.
Australia rejects claims that navy mistreated asylum seekers
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia on Wednesday rejected claims by a group of asylum seekers that they were beaten and suffered burns while being returned to Indonesia by the Australian navy under a policy that has strained ties between the countries.
Russian shipowners pay fine to free trawlers in Senegal
DAKAR (Reuters) – Russian shipowners have paid a fine of 600 million CFA francs ($1.24 million) to Senegal to free two trawlers seized for fishing illegally off the West African state, in an incident that stoked diplomatic tensions with Moscow.
Italy issues 90 mafia arrest warrants, seizes pizza restaurants
ROME (Reuters) – Italian police on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for 90 suspected members of a Naples mafia clan and seized assets worth millions of euros, including dozens of well-known pizza restaurants in Rome.
