Prince Charles vows not to meddle as King
AFP, London
Britain’s Prince Charles said on Wednesday he was not “stupid” enough to keep speaking out on contentious public issues once he becomes king in a rare interview about his future role.
The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II-formally known as the Prince of Wales-has long been seen as interfering because of his private lobbying of ministers and public statements on a range of subjects from architecture to the environment.
Merkel ally poised to get EU’s top job
Reuters, Helsinki
A reserved Bavarian who has modeled himself on Germany’s pragmatic chancellor is set to win the backing of Europe’s center-right parties on Thursday to stand in the race to become European Commission president, according to voting projections.
German EU lawmaker Manfred Weber is vying against former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb to be endorsed as the European People’s Party’s (EPP) top candidate for the EU’s most influential job, the head of the bloc’s executive overseeing laws and trade deals.
Head on collision between 2 buses kills 47 in Zimbabwe
AP, Harare
A head-on collision between two buses has killed 47 people, where road accidents are common due to poor roads and bad driving.
Two long distance buses going opposite directions collided near Rusape, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) east of the capital Harare on Wednesday evening, said police spokesman Paul Nyathi. He said the death toll could rise because there are others with serious injuries.
Taliban attacks kill 13 Afghan cops
AP, Kabul
Afghan officials say the latest Taliban attacks in the country’s central and eastern region have left 13 policemen dead.
Council member Ghulam Hussain Changiz in eastern Ghazni province says the insurgents attacked a police outpost early on Thursday morning in Khugyani district, killing eight policemen, including a district commander.
The attack set of a firefight that lasted for hours until the government sent reinforcements and drove Taliban from the compound. He says the Taliban still managed to confiscate weapons and ammunition.
Indian rebels blow up bus, killing 3 civilians, 1 soldier
AP, Patna
Indian police say Maoist rebels have blown up a bus, killing three civilians and a paramilitary soldier, in a central state where legislative elections are to be held next week.
Senior police officer D.M. Awasthi says the attack occurred Thursday in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state.The New Delhi Television channel said an explosive device tore through the bus, which was carrying civilians and paramilitary soldiers.
