US diplomat criticizes policy of building ‘fortress-like’ embassies at huge costWARSAW, Poland — The outgoing U.S. ambassador to Poland is criticizing the “fortress-like” construction of American embassies worldwide since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, saying they are built at a huge cost to U.S. taxpayers and often send an unfriendly message to non-Americans. Anglo-Saxon culture left behind striking artwork, brilliant poetryThe Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes who gradually invaded England starting in the 5th century in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire. Originally, they came from what is now the coastal region of northwest Germany. Germany’s Merkel takes low-key style to the cusp of victory in German electionsBERLIN — A decade ago, Angela Merkel was known to Germans mainly for a famously bad haircut that made her the butt of jokes. Swedish police criticized after helicopter heist; no arrests madeSTOCKHOLM — Swedish police faced stinging criticism Thursday for failing to stop helicopter-borne gunmen from pulling off a Hollywood-style heist against a cash depot while blocking an air pursuit with a fake bomb. Spain expels Israelis from architecture contest because their university is in West BankMADRID — Spain said Thursday it has disqualified a group of Israeli academics from a solar power design competition because their university is in the West Bank, the latest in a series of low-level European sanctions against Israel over its settlement policy. Ireland plans to double its pioneering tax on supermarkets’ plastic bagsDUBLIN — Ireland was the first nation to tax plastic bags as a way to stop them littering the countryside. Now the Emerald Isle plans to double its levy to a punitive 44 euro cents (59 U.S. cents) per bag. Swiss lawmakers reject sending troops against Somali pirates, as neutrality concerns too greatGENEVA — Switzerland will not join the European Union’s anti-piracy efforts, lawmakers decided Thursday amid concern that participating in the mission off Somalia could violate the Alpine nation’s long-standing neutrality. Huge hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure found in Britain, could be largest ever recoveredLONDON — An amateur treasure hunter prowling English farmland with a metal detector stumbled upon the largest Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered, a massive collection of gold and silver crosses, sword decorations and other items, British archaeologists said Thursday. Huge hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure found in Britain, expert compares the find to Book of KellsLONDON — British archaeological experts say an amateur treasure-hunter has uncovered one of the largest caches of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found. 4 killed, 1 missing in floods, landslide in northeast TurkeyANKARA, Turkey — The state-run news agency says heavy rains in northeast Turkey have triggered floods and a landslide that killed 4 people. One person is reported missing. Sweden launches manhunt after brazen helicopter heist at cash depot leaves police groundedSTOCKHOLM — With cinematic flourish, the masked robbers dropped from a helicopter onto the roof of a Swedish cash depot before dawn, broke into the building through a glass pyramid, set off explosions to get to the millions inside and escaped by hoisting themselves and their haul back up on rope lines. US, Switzerland sign treaty increasing information exchange to counter tax evasionBERN, Switzerland — Switzerland and the United States have signed a treaty to increase the amount of tax information they share to help crack down on tax evasion, Swiss officials said Wednesday. Russian media: Russian delegation official says Moscow does not rule out new Iran sanctionsMOSCOW — Moscow is not ruling out new U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, Russian news agencies cited an official in the Russian delegation in New York as saying Wednesday. Russia urges resumed eradication of Afghan poppies, a Bush policy critics say aided TalibanMOSCOW — Russia is pressing the White House to resurrect the Bush-era policy of large-scale eradication of poppy fields in Afghanistan, an effort that critics say angered Afghan farmers and rallied support for the Taliban but did little to curb the cultivation of opium. Kosovo: EU police arrest 4 Serbs suspected of committing war crimesPRISTINA, Kosovo — Four Serbs were arrested Wednesday under suspicion of committing war crimes against ethnic Albanian civilians during the 1998-99 Kosovo war, EU police said. Russian media: Russian delegation official says Moscow does not ruling out new Iran sanctionsMOSCOW — Russian news agencies are citing an official in the Russian delegation in New York as saying Moscow does not rule out new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programs. British home builder Barratt in 720.5 million pounds rights issueLONDON — Major British home builder Barratt Developments PLC announced a rights issue Wednesday to raise 720.5 million pounds ($1.18 billion) to beef up its balance sheet and prepare for new land acquisitions. Germany’s Volkswagen: 2010 global car market sales volume should be similar to 2009FRANKFURT — Auto industry heavyweight Volkswagen AG expects the global car sector’s sales in 2010 to come in at levels similar to this year’s, a senior executive said Wednesday. Report: Daimler may move some C-Class production from Germany to USSTUTTGART, Germany — German carmaker Daimler AG is considering whether to move some production of its Mercedes-Benz C-Class models to Alabama from Germany, a newspaper reported Wednesday. Kremlin-backed Chechen leader claims US, British intelligence services back rebelsMOSCOW — The controversial Kremlin-backed president of Chechnya claims that militants in the violence-plagued Russian province are backed by U.S. and British intelligence agencies. UK reports: Pope Benedict XVI to visit Britain for the first time in decadesLONDON — Pope Benedict XVI next year will make the first visit to Britain by a pontiff in decades, British media reported Wednesday. British Museum seeks to remake Montezuma’s reputation with major show about last Aztec rulerLONDON — The world-famous British Museum, home of the contested Elgin Marbles sought by Greece, is leaping into another controversy with a special exhibit re-examining the life of Montezuma, the doomed last ruler of the Aztecs. Mother of missing girl Madeleine McCann takes hope from US case of Jaycee DugardLISBON, Portugal — The mother of missing British girl Madeleine McCann says she has gained fresh hope for her daughter after the discovery of American Jaycee Dugard, who was found in California 18 years after being kidnapped. Polish court fines Catholic magazine for comparing woman who sought abortion to NazisWARSAW, Poland — A Polish court on Wednesday ordered a Roman Catholic magazine to pay a fine and apologize to a woman for likening her to a killer for wanting an abortion and equating the practice with Nazi crimes. Serbian court tries 17 former Kosovo rebels for alleged war crimesBELGRADE, Serbia — Seventeen former Kosovo rebels went on trial Wednesday before the Serbian war crimes court, charged with murder, rape and torture of Serb civilians in 1999. Polar bear Knut’s female companion Giovanna steals the show in BerlinBERLIN — Giovanna, the new companion of Berlin’s favorite polar bear, Knut, has star quality as well. Minister: minors detained in roundup of illegal immigrants at French camp won’t be expelledPARIS — France’s immigration minister said Wednesday that minors detained in a roundup of illegal immigrants in the English Channel port of Calais would not be expelled from France. First CIA rendition trial enters final phase with closing arguments in Milan courtMILAN — The kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric damaged the fight against terrorism, prosecutors said Wednesday during closing arguments in the trial of 26 Americans and seven Italians charged with orchestrating a CIA-led abduction. Italian economist named president of Vatican bankVATICAN CITY — The Vatican has named an Italian economist as the chairman of its bank. Father of Iraqi man killed in British custody says he may have been killed in revenge attackLONDON — The father of an Iraqi man killed in 2003 in the custody of British troops testified Wednesday that his son may have been beaten to death in a revenge attack because the father had reported a British soldier for theft. |
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