Reuters: World News

Judge to lead Greece to fateful June 17 vote

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:12:53 +0100

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece put a senior judge in charge of an emergency government on Wednesday to lead it to new elections on June 17 and bankers sought to calm public fears after the president said political chaos risked causing panic and a run on deposits.

Hollande govt to be dominated by moderates, Aubry out

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:50:50 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - The government of France's new President Francois Hollande is likely to be dominated by moderate social democrats after party leader Martine Aubry, overlooked for the prime minister's role, said on Wednesday she would not be in the cabinet.

Syria's Assad - Nations who "sow chaos" will suffer

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:36:57 +0100

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday that countries trying to "sow chaos" in Syria could be infected with it themselves, an apparent warning to Arab Gulf nations that back the insurgency aimed at forcing him from power.

Mladic taunts survivors at start of genocide trial

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:20:25 +0100

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic made a throat-slitting gesture to a woman who lost her son, husband and brothers in the Srebenica massacre at the start of his trial on Wednesday for some of the worst atrocities in Europe since World War Two.

Yemen army advances on militants, fighting heavy

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:55:48 +0100

ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) - Yemeni troops, backed by local tribesmen, captured a strategic mountain that controls access to cities long held by al Qaeda-linked militants amid heavy fighting that has killed at least 24 people, residents and local officials said.

Italy court rules Concordia captain unfit for command

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:35:16 +0100

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's top appeals court ruled on Wednesday that Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, was unfit to command the cruise liner which ran aground and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio in January, causing at least 30 deaths.

Merkel ditches environment minister after poll rout

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:16:55 +0100

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel fired her environment minister on Wednesday after he led her party to a regional election defeat, replacing him with a loyal conservative ally to push through her plans to take German energy into the post-nuclear era.

Exclusive - Syria sugar refineries paralysed, smuggling seen soaring

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:33:06 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Escalating violence in Syria has slowed sugar refining to a virtual standstill, with smuggling set to rise as Western sanctions hobble trade finance and disrupt imports of the staple sweetener, trade sources said.

Cameron plays down differences with Hollande

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:42:52 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday he would hold talks with new French President Francois Hollande before an international summit this week, confident they would find "common ground" on how to tackle Europe's economic crisis.

Breivik killed with joyous "battle cry" - survivors

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:18:42 +0100

OSLO (Reuters) - Anders Behring Breivik screamed a "battle cry" and appeared both angry and joyous as he shot his victims one by one, survivors of the Norwegian far-right killer's massacre told a court on Wednesday.