Israeli arrest in abduction of three youths is made public
JERUSALEM — Israel arrested a Palestinian last month accused of being the prime mover in the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June, it emerged from court papers on Tuesday. The abduction set off the most recent conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Little optimism as Iranian nuclear talks reconvene
VIENNA — Talks with Iran over a permanent agreement on its nuclear program begin Tuesday in Vienna, but there is little immediate optimism over a negotiation that is expected to last up to a year.
British intelligence chiefs say Snowden leaks hurt safety
LONDON — Britain’s intelligence chiefs, in unprecedented public testimony before Parliament, said Thursday that the published leaks of secret documents stolen by Edward J. Snowden, the former U.S. intelligence analyst, had damaged their ability to keep Britain safe.
To aid Syria rebels, France urges end to arms embargo
BRUSSELS — France, joining Britain, is urging its European Union partners to meet this month and end an arms embargo on Syria, to allow weapons to be sent to the opposition there.
French jets bomb Islamist militants in Mali’s north
PARIS — French warplanes bombed Islamist militant bases and depots deep into northern Mali to disrupt their supply routes, French officials said Monday, as secular Tuareg rebels in northern Mali said they had captured two Islamist commanders near the Algerian border.
France and Germany mark a milestone
BERLIN — France and Germany recently issued a joint postage stamp as part of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty, the landmark agreement between the two former enemies.
European Central Bank moves aggressively to ease euro crisis
FRANKFURT, Germany — The European Central Bank on Thursday took its most ambitious step yet toward easing the eurozone crisis, throwing its unlimited financial clout behind an effort to protect Spain and Italy from financial collapse.
Europeans to debate further aid for Greece, encourage path to reform
PARIS — Vacation is over early this year in the eurozone, with Greece and its shaky future back on the table and Spain waiting in the wings to ask for help from European bailout funds.
France and Greece poised for crucial votes on Sunday
PARIS — France and Greece vote Sunday in elections that will be closely watched for the future of the European Union and the euro. The votes will once again highlight the emerging crux of the euro crisis: Will democratic politics offer a solution to the economic crisis or just make it worse?
With elections days away, Sarkozy’s outlook grows dim
PARIS — The candidate — energetic, bold, indefatigable — is sure he will win, aides say, as he pulls energy from his big crowds.
Presidential rivals Sarkozy and Hollande trade attacks
PARIS — The French presidential election finally began to heat up on Thursday, less than three weeks before the first round of voting, with President Nicolas Sarkozy accusing his Socialist rival, Francois Hollande, of “promising a festival of new spending that no one knows how to pay for” and risking turning France into Greece or Spain.
Wounded journalists appeal for evacuation from Homs
PARIS — A French reporter wounded in the Syrian government’s bombardment of Homs made a video appeal on Thursday for a cease-fire and evacuation for urgent medical attention.
Chasm threatens EU economic bloc
LISBON — Sara Vale Lima, sales manager at Eical, a Portuguese textile company, feels suffocated by the euro. The common currency once meant flush banks and easy credit, but these days it has laid bare a cold reality: Portugal shares the high wages and prices of richer northern European neighbors, but not their competitiveness.
Tehran Rejects Nuclear Accord, Officials Report
Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Thursday that it would not accept a plan its negotiators agreed to last week to send its stockpile of uranium out of the country, according to diplomats in Europe and U.S. officials briefed on Iran’s response.
Iran Agrees to Key Concessions On Nuclear Fuel
Iran agreed on Thursday in talks with the United States and other major powers to open its newly revealed uranium enrichment plant near Qum to international inspection in the next two weeks and to send most of its openly declared enriched uranium to Russia to be turned into fuel for a small reactor that produces medical isotopes, senior U.S. and other Western officials said.
Europe’s Socialists Suffering Even in Bad Capitalist Times
A specter is haunting Europe – the specter of socialism’s slow collapse.
Shorts (left)
They are an extremely odd couple — he is short and hyperactive, she is dour and shy. He believes in the power of the state and big interventions; she believes in a softer role for the state, guiding and prodding the market. Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel don’t even get along very well, aides to both leaders say. He has made fun of her accent in private meetings, the aides say, and she says he is self-centered and impetuous.
Egypt Accused of Complacency in Hamas Weapon, Money Smuggling
Israel says Egypt is doing far too little to stop the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, from smuggling weapons, militants and cash into the area from Egypt, and is appealing to Cairo to do more.
Facing Wide Criticism, Israel Opens Fuel Lines to Gaza Strip Temporarily
After widespread criticism of its decision to cut off supplies of industrial diesel oil required to run a power station that serves Gaza City and its hospitals, Israel resumed fuel shipments on Tuesday on what it said would be a temporary basis.
Talks Between Israeli and Palestinian Leaders Show Little Promise of Peace
An American-sponsored meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders meant to start a new peace initiative after six years ended Monday with little more concrete than a promise to meet again.
Israelis and Palestinians Try to Plan Peace Talks as Bush Outlines Speech
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators made progress on Monday toward completing a joint statement for the planned Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Md., and President Bush appeared ready to paper over remaining differences between the two sides with his planned speech on Tuesday.
Hamas Aligns With Fatah But Fate Of Foreign Aid Remains in Doubt
The Hamas-led Palestinian government, boycotted by the West since its election more than a year ago because of Hamas' support of terrorism, announced on Thursday a unity coalition with the more moderate Fatah movement in hopes of ending the boycott.