Italy’s Renzi flexes muscles in electoral reform drive
ROME (Reuters) – Italian center-left leader Matteo Renzi’s brisk dismissal of party critics who opposed a deal with their old nemesis Silvio Berlusconi on electoral reform has injected momentum into a political system frozen in deadlock for months.
Japan-China tensions take center-stage with Abe in Davos
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing took centre-stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday as Japan’s prime minister called for military restraint in Asia and a senior Chinese academic branded him a troublemak…
Seven dead in tit-for-tat killings in Central African Republic
BANGUI (Reuters) – Seven people died in inter-religious attacks and reprisal killings in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Wednesday, a human rights campaigner said, underlining the challenge the new interim president faces in restoring peac…
Ukraine opposition say they’ll brave bullets after talks with Yanukovich fail
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian opposition leaders emerged from crisis talks with President Viktor Yanukovich on Wednesday saying he had failed to give concrete answers to their demands, and told their supporters on the streets to prepare for a police offen…
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…
