U.S. intelligence chief says Karzai unlikely to sign security pact
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. director of national intelligence said on Tuesday he does not believe Afghan President Hamid Karzai will sign a bilateral security agreement with the United States.
Muslim exodus threatens food crisis in Central African Republic
BANGUI (Reuters) – An exodus of Muslim traders fleeing attacks by Christian militia in Central African Republic has pushed food markets there to the brink of collapse, threatening the nation with even deeper crisis.
Algerian military air crash killed 77 people: ministry
ALGIERS (Reuters) – A total of 77 people died in the crash of an Algerian military transport plane carrying members of the armed forces and their relatives on Tuesday, the defense ministry said, fewer than the 103 dead that had been cited by local medi…
Italy, U.S. police crack big mafia drug ring
ROME (Reuters) – Police in Italy and New York broke up a major trans-Atlantic mafia ring on Tuesday, arresting 24 people accused of plotting to move hundreds of millions of dollars in drugs between South America, Italy and the United States.
EU to ease sanctions on Zimbabwe, but not on Mugabe
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union is to further ease sanctions on Zimbabwe next week, but will keep a travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his wife, EU sources said on Tuesday.
Czech invite to Uzbek leader angers human rights groups
PRAGUE (Reuters) – A planned visit by Uzbek President Islam Karimov next week to the Czech Republic has sparked an outcry among human rights groups critical of his authoritarian rule who say he should be shunned, not courted.
President says discontent in Sao Tome army, plays down fears of uprising
SAO TOME (Reuters) – Sao Tome and Principe’s president warned of discontent in the island nation’s military after striking soldiers boycotted his presidential guard in protest at rising prices, but played down fears of a new uprising.
Italy PM vows reforms as tensions with Renzi grow
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta promised new measures to lift the economy on Tuesday after weeks of tension over the slow pace of reform fanned speculation that he could be replaced as premier by his party leader Matteo Renzi.
Iran ‘forever’ comments on nuclear program seen as sop to hardliners
DUBAI (Reuters) – President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Tuesday a Western assertion that military force could yet solve a decade-old nuclear dispute if negotiations proved fruitless, pledging that Iran would pursue peaceful atomic research “forever”.
Two threaten to set themselves on fire in St. Peter’s Square
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Two Italian men who had threatened to set themselves on fire in St. Peter’s Square to protest Italy’s economic slump were taken away by police on Tuesday.
