Croatia arrests ex-spy chief wanted in Germany
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croatia arrested on Wednesday a former intelligence chief wanted in Germany, responding to an extradition row that overshadowed the Balkan state’s accession to the European Union last summer.
EU tries to calm fears of Bulgarian, Romanian exodus
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union sought to calm fears in countries like Britain, France and Germany that they face a mass influx of Romanians and Bulgarians following the lifting of restrictions on Wednesday, a change that risks fuelling anti-im…
Lebanese intelligence questioning Saudi militant, security source says
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese intelligence agents are interrogating the Saudi leader of a militant group that claimed a double suicide attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut last November, a Lebanese security source said on Wednesday.
Erdogan rallies Turks to thwart ‘plot’ against nation’s success
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged Turks to rally around him in fighting what he termed a dirty plot by foreign-backed elements targeting “the bread on your table, the money in your pocket, the sweat of your brow”.
Revelers usher in 2014 with fireworks and fruit mist
NEW YORK (Reuters) – From Sydney to London to San Francisco, revelers welcomed 2014 with extravagant fireworks displays, giant street parties and, in a new departure, fruit-flavored mist.
Egyptian police fire tear gas at protesters near Defense Ministry
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of pro-Islamist protesters demonstrating near the Defense Ministry in Cairo on Wednesday, state media said.
Stop the wars, pope says in New Year appeal
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis made an impassioned New Year’s peace address on Wednesday, saying the heart of humanity seemed to have gone astray and too many people were still indifferent to war, violence and injustice.
Coup-leader president’s candidate poised to win Madagascar vote
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – The candidate backed by Madagascar’s coup-leader President Andry Rajoelina held on Wednesday an apparently unassailable lead in the island’s run-off vote, which his rival’s camp has said was rigged.
Saudi morality police may relax rules on prayer times: paper
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s morality police may relax the kingdom’s strict rules on closing shops and businesses for prayer five times a day, the force’s head Sheikh Abdulatif Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying by local press on Wednesday.
Lawyers claim fraud as Pakistan’s Musharraf goes on trial for treason
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Lawyers argued Wednesday that former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf could not receive a fair trial on treason charges, a case that could test the relationship between an increasingly assertive civilian government and th…
