GAZA/JERUSALEM – A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held firm on Thursday with scenes of joy among the ruins in Gaza over what Palestinians hailed as a victory, and both sides saying their fingers were still on the trigger.
– – – –
BRUSSELS – European Union negotiators are close to securing British and German backing for a deal on nearly a trillion euros of spending over the next seven years, but concessions will be needed to win support from France, Poland and some southern European states.
– – – –
KHARTOUM – Sudan arrested its former spy chief and other senior military and security officers on Thursday after foiling what officials said was a plot to incite chaos and target leaders in this oil-producing African state.
– – – –
AMMAN – Syrian rebels captured an army base in an eastern oil province on Thursday, further weakening President Bashar al-Assad’s control in the strategic region bordering Iraq.
– – – –
SAKE/GOMA – Congolese troops were fighting back on Thursday against rebels who rejected calls from African leaders to quit the eastern city of Goma, captured earlier this week.
– – – –
BRUSSELS – Greece has taken all the steps necessary to secure its next tranche of aid and euro zone finance ministers should be able to sign off definitively on the assistance on Monday, the European commissioner for economic affairs said on Wednesday.
– – – –
MANILA – The Philippines and Vietnam condemned Chinese passports containing a map of China’s disputed maritime claims on Thursday, branding the new design a violation of their sovereignty.
– – – –
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Taliban movement threatened on Thursday to attack Indian targets to avenge the country’s execution of Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor of the militant squad responsible for a rampage through Mumbai that killed 166 people in 2008.
– – – –
BOGOTA – Colombia’s FARC rebels freed three captive Chinese oil workers and their translator after holding them in jungle camps for more than a year, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday, an apparent goodwill gesture as the rebels seek to negotiate a peace accord to end five decades of war.
– – – –
LONDON – After a year-long public inquiry exposed the worst excesses of Britain’s raucous newspapers, the press is battling to avoid any proposals for tougher regulation next week, and Prime Minister David Cameron will come under fire whatever he decides.
