Cuba allows tourism industry to hire private contractors
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba has authorized its state-run tourism industry to contract out lodgings, meals, excursions and other activities to private businesses in a boost to a growing “non-state” sector.
Azerbaijan’s ruling party claims reelection victory for president
BAKU (Reuters) – Azerbaijan’s ruling party claimed President Ilham Aliyev won re-election in the former Soviet republic on Wednesday, citing exit polls that gave him more than 80 percent of the vote.
Mandela grandson investigated for gun law violation – police
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – One of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons is being investigated on suspicion of pointing a gun at another man during an argument, South African police said on Wednesday.
Saudi court orders investigation into child-bride case: website
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Saudi court has ordered an investigation into the marriage of a 12-year-old girl in the south of the conservative kingdom, a local news website reported.
Around 60 dead in clashes in Central African Republic
BANGUI (Reuters) – Around 60 people have been killed in sectarian clashes in Central African Republic between local militias and former rebels, witnesses and a local official said on Wednesday, as France increased pressure for international interventio…
Russia says drugs found on Greenpeace ship, plans new charges
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian investigators said on Wednesday they had found drugs aboard a Greenpeace ship used in a protest against offshore Arctic drilling and would press new charges against some of the 30 people being held for alleged piracy.
Dutch apologize to Moscow for detention of Russian diplomat
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – The Dutch foreign minister apologized to Moscow on Wednesday for the detention of a Russian diplomat in The Hague, saying his right to diplomatic immunity had been violated.
Ministry row latest blow to India’s defense modernization
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A plan to attract private Indian firms to help build military aircraft could be delayed after a cabinet minister said the proposal was unfair to state-run companies.
French far-right could beat mainstream parties in EU vote: poll
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s far-right National Front could top European Parliament elections next May, pulling ahead of the two big mainstream parties for the first time in a nationwide vote, a poll showed on Wednesday.
EU’s Barroso heckled at scene of migrant boat tragedy
LAMPEDUSA, Italy (Reuters) – European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso vowed on Wednesday to step up efforts to stem the region’s long-running immigration crisis in a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, where a migrant boat sank last week…
