TEHRAN – A law to be debated in Iran’s parliament tomorrow may halt oil exports to the European Union as early as next week, foiling an EU plan to phase in an oil embargo gradually to help its struggling economies adapt, lawmakers said yesterday.
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AMMAN – Fighting erupted in Homs yesterday, a day after towns people said Alawite militiamen killed 14 members of a Sunni Muslim family in one of Syria’s worst sectarian attacks since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad flared in March.
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BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-filled taxi near a funeral procession in Baghdad yesterday, killing 31 people in the latest attack in a Shi’ite neighbourhood amid rising violence since an Iraqi political crisis erupted in
December.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Twitter announced Thursday that it would begin restricting Tweets in specific countries, renewing questions about how the social media platform will handle issues of free speech as it rapidly expands its global user base.
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ROME – Costa Cruises has offered to pay 11,000 euros ($14,500) in compensation to each of the more than 3,000 passengers aboard the ship that capsized near the island of Giglio two weeks ago, Italian consumer groups said yesterday.
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MARSEILLE, France – Jean-Claude Mas, the Frenchman who sparked a global health scare by selling substandard breast implants, was released from police custody yesterday and faces a charge of causing bodily harm, his lawyer said.
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TOKYO – Japan will be able to avoid power cuts this summer even if the nation’s last few nuclear reactors cease operating due to public safety fears after the Fukushima crisis, the government said yesterday.
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AURORA, Colorado – President Barack Obama pitched a plan on Thursday to boost U.S. use of natural gas and open more land for drilling during a campaign-style tour aimed at bolstering confidence in his economic stewardship in an election year.
