Poland’s president said Thursday that he has started the process to once again pardon two politicians who were arrested earlier this week amid a bitter standoff between the new government and its national conservative predecessor. The development came as tens of thousands of people with anti-government banners and Polish flags …
Read More »Israeli military scraps punishment for soldier found eating pork sandwich
The Israeli military on Tuesday scrapped a punishment for a U.S.-born Israeli soldier who had caused a stink by violating the military’s kosher rules by eating a pork sandwich while in uniform. Earlier, the military said the soldier, whose name was not released, “violated rules and regulations,” which required him …
Read More »UK government to sell its remaining stake in Royal Mail as part of efforts to bring down debt
LONDON – Britain’s Treasury chief says the government will sell its remaining stake in Royal Mail as part of 4.5 billion pounds ($6.9 billion) in new measures meant to bring down the public debt. George Osborne did not offer Thursday a precise time frame for the sale of the government’s …
Read More »Newspaper reports that Israel built, exploded 'dirty bomb' with nuclear material in a test
JERUSALEM – A major Israeli newspaper says the government built and exploded a “dirty bomb” with nuclear material inside it to see how such an attack would affect the country. The Haaretz daily newspaper on Monday quoted researchers as saying the tests were for defensive purposes only. It quoted them …
Read More »Serbian president cancels Bosnia visit amid dispute over arrest of ex-Srebrenica commander
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Serbia’s president has canceled a scheduled trip to Bosnia amid a diplomatic dispute over the arrest in Switzerland of a former Bosnian Muslim commander on a war crimes warrant from Belgrade. Tomislav Nikolic canceled the trip to Sarajevo scheduled for Tuesday at the request of the Muslim …
Read More »Pope weighs in as migrant crises rage around globe: Don't close the door to migrants
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has made an appeal as a series of migrant crises rage around the globe: Don’t close the door to those seeking a better life. Francis made the comments during his weekly general audience Wednesday. He thanked those who care for refugees and urged governments to …
Read More »U.N. Secretary General Eyes New Aid, Better PR Campaign, for North Korea
Even as the world struggles to find workable ways to constrain North Korea’s expanding nuclear weapons program and unpredictable belligerence, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is planning how to channel new streams of aid and development money to the dangerous regime. Ban, the former foreign minister of South Korea, …
Read More »Spain's Socialists name general secretary as candidate for premier in general elections
MADRID – Spain’s Socialist party has appointed its secretary-general as candidate for the post of prime minister in the next general elections due to take place late this year. The leading opposition party on Sunday tasked Pedro Sanchez with winning back voters and taking on the ruling Popular Party of …
Read More »Poland's Parliament chooses new speaker, to replace Radek Sikorski, amid recording scandal
WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s lawmakers have voted to choose the ruling party’s Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska as Parliament Speaker until the fall general elections. In the same vote, the lower house, or Sejm, approved the resignation of Radek Sikorski. He resigned as speaker as a result of a 2014 scandal in which …
Read More »Afghan official: 3 children killed, 4 wounded by mortar picked up while playing
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says three children were killed and four wounded after they found an unexploded mortar in a field while playing. Fazal Mohammad Ishaqzia, the governor of Panjwayi district in the southern Kandahar province, said the children killed Wednesday all belonged to the same family. Kandahar …
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