- New Russia wildfires kill 2 and consume homes
(Reuters)
Reuters - A new wave of wildfires swept through villages in southern Russia on Thursday, killing at least two people and destroying hundreds of homes, officials and news reports said.
- Ex-US air base in Iceland considered for war games
(AP)
AP - Iceland's government began considering on Thursday a bid by a private military training company to base a fleet of fighter jets at an ex-U.S. air base for hired war game exercises.
- ICC charges, suspends Pakistan trio
(AFP)
AFP - Cricket's world governing body charged three Pakistan stars accused in a betting scam with anti-corruption offences and provisionally suspended them Thursday, as the trio protested their innocence.
- Butt, Asif, Aamer charged by ICC
(AFP)
AFP - The International Cricket Council said Thursday it has charged Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif with various offences under its anti-corruption code.
- Summary Box: ECB raises eurozone growth forecast
(AP)
AP - OUTLOOK IMPROVES: The European Central Bank raised its growth projections for the 16-nation eurozone after better-than-expected economic news.
- Animal rights group claims mass Greek mink release
(AP)
AP - An international animal rights activist group has claimed responsibility for releasing more than 50,000 minks from two fur farms in northern Greece.
- Summary Box: Pernod Ricard earnings
(AP)
AP - COMPANY: Pernod Ricard SA, Paris-based drink maker known for its anise-flavored aperitifs as well as Beefeater gin and recently acquired Absolut vodka reported its full-year earnings Thursday.
- Dubai firm snaps up food chain Carluccio's
(AFP)
AFP - Dubai-based retail giant Landmark Group has agreed to buy British restaurant chain Carluccio's for 90.3 million pounds, the companies said on Thursday.
- Air France mulls 'low-cost' option: sources
(AFP)
AFP - Air France-KLM is considering setting up a "low-cost" domestic carrier to meet intense competition in the French market from budget rivals, company sources said on Thursday.
- Iran stoning lawyer reunited with family
(AP)
AP - The lawyer who defended a woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran was reunited with his family in Norway Thursday.
- UN to release Congo 'genocide' report in October
(AP)
AP - A report detailing hundreds of gruesome attacks against civilians in Congo over a 10-year period won't be released until October, the U.N.'s top human rights official said Thursday, after Rwanda angrily protested the findings in a draft version.
- Recovering bubbly in Baltic Sea, divers find beer
(AP)
AP - Divers who found what's believed to be the world's oldest drinkable champagne say they have also discovered two-centuries-old bottles of beer at a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea.
- Paris mosque slams burger chain's Muslim outreach
(AP)
AP - Note to big companies hoping to tap into France's lucrative but long-neglected Muslim consumer market: Pitfalls may await, and not only in the form of complaints from the far-right.
- Slovaks observe day of mourning after mass killing
(AP)
AP - Slovakia is observing a national day of mourning after a deadly shooting rampage left eight people dead and wounded 15 others.
- US officers take up posts at Paris airport
(AP)
AP - American officers are taking up posts at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport to help identify potential terrorists or other high-risk passengers heading to the United States.
- 6 years on, Portugal child sex trial reaches end
(AP)
AP - A child sex abuse trial that has lasted nearly six years is drawing to a close after producing chilling testimony from dozens of alleged victims and shaking public trust in Portugal's institutions.
- Spanish traffic cops urged to halt ticket slowdown
(AP)
AP - Spanish highway patrol officers who are issuing fewer speeding fines to protest a pay cut have heard the magic word from their boss: Please, cut it out.
- Serbia confiscates $256 million of crime property
(AP)
AP - Serbia's justice minister says authorities have confiscated euro200 million ($256 million) in property from organized crime bosses since gaining the authority last year.
- Hawking says God not needed for creation
(AP)
AP - Physicist Stephen Hawking says God wasn't necessary for the creation of the universe.
- Ferrari recalls 458 Italia supercars after fires
(AP)
AP - Ferrari says it is recalling 1,248 of its 458 Italia supercars after reports of fires breaking out in five of the luxury vehicles in several countries.