Albanian ‘No’ deals blow to Syria chemical weapons plan
THE HAGUE/TIRANA (Reuters) – Albania rejected on Friday a U.S. request to host the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, dealing a blow to a U.S.-Russian accord to eliminate the nerve agents from the country’s protracted civil war.
Spain must probe civil war disappearances, U.N. watchdog says
GENEVA (Reuters) – A U.N. human rights watchdog urged Spain on Friday to investigate the disappearances of civilians during and after the 1936-1939 civil war, despite Madrid’s objection to re-examining past crimes.
Polish transport minister steps down over undisclosed watch
WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish transport minister Slawomir Nowak stepped down on Friday after the prosecutor’s office said there were grounds to believe Nowak broke the law, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.
Guinea-Bissau postpones post-coup election until March
BISSAU (Reuters) – Guinea-Bissau’s transitional government has delayed elections meant to draw a line under a 2012 military coup until March next year, according to a presidential decree on Friday.
Sense of dread as German SPD eyes new Merkel coalition
LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) – If you want to know how rank-and-file Social Democrats (SPD) regard the prospect of another ‘grand coalition’ government under Chancellor Angela Merkel, look for the red hedgehog.
China to ease decades-old one-child policy nationwide
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will ease family planning restrictions nationwide, the government said on Friday, allowing millions of families to have two children in the country’s most significant liberalization of its strict one-child policy in about thre…
EU says Spanish controls at Gibraltar border do not break law
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – There is no evidence Spain broke EU law by imposing tight controls at its border with Gibraltar, the European Union executive said on Friday, urging both sides to act to ease bottlenecks that strained relations between London and M…
Far-right parties seek common strategy for EU election
VIENNA (Reuters) – Representatives of far-right parties from five EU nations tried to build a common strategy on Friday for European Parliament elections next May when their anti-immigrant message is expected to bolster their support.
Sri Lanka rights under scrutiny as Commonwealth leaders meet
COLOMBO/JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) – Leaders of the Commonwealth of mostly former British colonies met in Colombo on Friday for a biennial summit that has brought with it intense scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s human rights record four years after the civil w…
Twelve migrants drown off Greek coast after boat capsizes
ATHENS (Reuters) – Twelve migrants, including four children, drowned on Friday after their boat capsized just off a Greek island, the coastguard said, adding to the hundreds of deaths this year of people attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing.
