India train crash injures at least 43
A train derailed in northern India on Wednesday injuring at least 43 people, police and rail officials said, at least the third such accident in recent weeks that has raised concerns about the safety of the ageing rail network.
The train derailed near the city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state early in the morning.
Pak, China, Russia agree to expand Afghan talks
Dawn.com, Islamabad
Russia, China and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to expand their tripartite consultations on Afghan conflict and include other countries, including Afghanistan, after Kabul objected to its absence from the regional discussions.
“The parties agreed to proceed with consultations in an expanded format and would welcome the participation of Afghanistan,” a joint statement issued after a meeting of the senior officials of the three countries said.
Tunisia fears returning jihadists
AFP, Tunis
Fears are mounting in Tunisia that the return of jihadists from foreign battlefields could destabilise a country already reeling from a wave of attacks since its 2011 revolution.
Concern has increased after a Tunisian was identified as the suspected attacker who mowed down 11 people with a hijacked truck at a Berlin Christmas market last week and also killed the driver.
Israel suspends settlement vote
Reuters, Jerusalem
Jerusalem’s city hall canceled a vote on Wednesday on applications to build nearly 500 new homes for Israelis in East Jerusalem, a municipal official said, plans that had drawn U.S. criticism in a raging dispute over settlements.
The proposed settlement is part of building activity that the U.N. Security Council demanded an end to on Friday, a resolution that a U.S. abstention made possible.
Romania’s first female Muslim PM rejected
AFP, Bucharest
Romania’s president sparked fresh political turmoil Tuesday after rejecting a proposal by the election-winning leftist party to name the EU country’s first female and first Muslim prime minister.
Klaus Iohannis gave no reasons for his rejection of Sevil Shhaideh, put forward by the Social Democrats (PSD), but there was speculation that it may be due to her Syrian husband’s background.
India bans foreign funds of 20,000 charities
AFP, New Delhi
India’s government has banned some 20,000 charities from accepting overseas funds because they failed to comply with the rules, a home ministry official said on Tuesday.
KS Dhatwalia, a spokesman for the federal home ministry which revoked the licences, said that they had been cancelled “over the period of one and a half years”.
