Nigeria arrests 15 Russian sailors carrying arms
LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigerian authorities seized a ship and arrested its 15 Russian crew members on suspicion of arms smuggling, after they found several guns and about 8,500 rounds of ammunition on the boat, the Navy said on Tuesday.
Iran says may stop oil sales if sanctions tighten
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Tuesday it would stop oil exports if pressure from Western sanctions got any tighter and it had a “Plan B” contingency strategy to survive without oil revenues.
Over 100,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon now: UNHCR
GENEVA (Reuters) – Lebanon has become the third of Syria’s neighbors after Turkey and Jordan to register more than 100,000 refugees from Syria’s civil war, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday.
Egyptian constitution case sent to higher court
CAIRO (Reuters) – A complaint filed by critics of the heavily Islamist assembly writing Egypt’s new constitution was referred to a higher court on Tuesday, a move likely to give the body more time to complete its work.
Fighting flares in Lebanese city over Syria loyalties
TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) – Four people were killed and 15 wounded in overnight gun battles in the Lebanese city of Tripoli in a second night of fighting between Sunni and Alawite gunmen loyal to different sides in the war in neighboring Syria, a mili…
China hints at reform by dropping Mao’s legacy
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s ruling Communist Party has dropped its strongest hint yet that it will move in the direction of reform, removing a once standard reference to late leader Mao Zedong in statements ahead of a generational leadership transition…
Bomb wounds Israeli officer on Gaza border
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – An Israeli officer was severely wounded on Tuesday when a bomb went off beside an army patrol along the border with the Gaza Strip, a military spokeswoman said.
Time running out for Czech PM to save government
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas made a last-ditch effort on Tuesday to win support from party rebels who are threatening to bring down his cabinet over an unpopular bill to raise taxes.
Qatar emir makes history, visits Hamas-run Gaza Strip
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (Reuters) – The Emir of Qatar entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday for a visit that broke the isolation of it Islamist rulers, Hamas, but disappointed Israel and mainstream Palestinian leaders in the West Bank.
Jordan sets January 23 for early parliamentary election
AMMAN (Reuters) – Jordan’s electoral commission set January 23 as the date for early parliamentary elections on Tuesday after King Abdullah dissolved parliament halfway through its term, responding to pressure for an acceleration of political reforms.
