Russia says EU criticism over Ukraine shift inappropriate
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman hit back at the European Union on Tuesday, saying it was wrong to criticize Russia over Ukraine’s decision to back away from a trade deal with the EU and draw closer to Moscow.
Berlusconi wavers ahead of confidence vote on Italy budget
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi said on Tuesday his party was still undecided on whether to withdraw its support for Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s government, just hours before a confidence vote over the 2014 budget.
U.S. says may pull out all troops as Afghan leader holds up deal
KABUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign a security deal with the United States, the White House said, opening up the prospect of a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from the strife-torn nation next year.
Merkel, SPD ready for all-night showdown on German coalition
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) will meet late on Tuesday to try to hammer out a “grand coalition” agreement in a decisive round of negotiations expected to last until far beyond midnight.
Pope attacks ‘tyranny’ of markets, urges renewal in key document
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis called for renewal of the Roman Catholic Church and attacked unfettered capitalism as “a new tyranny”, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as …
Indonesia quotes Australia saying won’t act to hurt relations in future
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told the Indonesian leader that his country will not take any action in future that will hurt relations between the neighbors, following an outcry in Jakarta of allegations Canberra tapped t…
Gunmen kill two Belarus military instructors in Yemen
SANAA (Reuters) – Gunmen on a motorcycle killed two Belarussian military instructors in Sanaa on Tuesday, police and defense ministry sources said, in a shooting similar to other attacks the Yemeni authorities have blamed on al Qaeda.
Insight: Denmark’s PM changes course to join Nordic welfare reform
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt alienated her center-left voters when she started cutting one of Europe’s most generous welfare systems shortly after she was elected.
Undeterred by perils, migrants flee hardship in Eritrea
MAI-AINI REFUGEE CAMP, Ethiopia (Reuters) – Ten years ago, Eritrean migrant Habtu hunkered down on the vomit-stained deck of a creaking trawler on the Mediterranean Sea, making the final stage of his perilous bid to reach Europe.
Iran ready to join Syria peace talks if invited: Zarif
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran was prepared to take part in the Syria peace talks in Geneva, slated for January 22, if invited.
