After Paris checkup, Algeria’s Bouteflika signs April vote decree
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika signed a decree on Friday authorizing a formal start to campaigning for the April 17 presidential election in the major oil- and gas-producing OPEC country.
Police probe explosion at Kenya airport; no injuries
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Police are investigating an explosion at Nairobi international airport that panicked travelers but caused no injuries, a police spokesman said on Friday, a day after the incident.
Czech center-left leader becomes PM, seeking closer EU ties
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech President Milos Zeman appointed center-left leader Bohuslav Sobotka prime minister on Friday, opening the way for the former finance minister to pursue looser fiscal policies and closer links with the core of Europe.
Putin says Russia is not ‘going after’ gays
SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) – Russia is not “going after” gays, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, defending a ban on “propaganda of homosexuality” that has brought criticism from the West ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Small parties threaten Italy government on electoral reform
ROME (Reuters) – The three small parties backing Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s coalition government threatened on Friday to bring down his administration unless they are part of an agreement on electoral reform.
U.S. rebukes Rwandan leader amid scrutiny over opponent’s murder
JOHANNESBURG/KIGALI (Reuters) – The United States says it is deeply worried about threats made by Rwandan President Paul Kagame against political opponents after one of his exiled critics was found murdered in a hotel room in South Africa.
Austria reaches pay deal with civil servants after protests
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria’s government agreed on Friday to raise the wages of its 200,000 civil servants by 1.9 percent this year after big protests against the new government.
Tension mounts in Thailand after blast wounds 36 protesters
BANGKOK (Reuters) – An explosive device tossed at anti-government protesters wounded 36 in central Bangkok on Friday and tension rippled through the Thai capital after several days of relative calm that had suggested the movement was running out of ste…
Czech center-left leader becomes PM, seeking closer EU ties
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech President Milos Zeman appointed center-left leader Bohuslav Sobotka prime minister on Friday, opening the way for the former finance minister to pursue looser fiscal policies and closer links with the core of Europe.
Rocket fired from Syria kills seven in Lebanese border town
HERMEL, Lebanon (Reuters) – Rocket fire into the Lebanese border town of Arsal killed at least seven people and wounded 15 on Friday, Lebanon’s state news agency said, in one of several such salvoes to hit towns bordering war-torn Syria.
