The world in brief

Sunday, January 19, 2014

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The war on terror will bear fruit when victims and terrorists are distinguished from

each other and the elements of terror are fought against.” Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan, who appointed a committee to investigate the Afghan civilian casualties from a Wednesday airstrike in a village north of Kabul Article, this page Gay protester arrested at torch relay

MOSCOW - A gay Russian protester was detained Saturday for unfurling a rainbow flag during the Olympic torch relay as it passed through his hometown of Voronezh, 560 miles north of Sochi, where the games will begin Feb. 7.

Photos uploaded by his friends show Pavel Lebedev pulling out the flag and then being detained by Olympic security personnel, who wrestle him to the snow as they wait for police to arrive. Lebedev, reached by The Associated Press on the phone, said he was still in the police station and undergoing questioning.

“Hosting the games here contradicts the basic principles of the Olympics, which is to cultivate tolerance,” Lebedev said.

A ban on propaganda of “nontraditional sexual relations” that was signed by President Vladimir Putin into law in June has provoked widespread international criticism from those who say the legislation discriminates against gays.

Russian authorities have put limits on the right to protest during the Sochi Olympics, which will run until Feb. 23.

Nuclear-inspection team arrives in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran - A team of international inspectors arrived in Iran on Saturday as the Islamic Republic prepares to open its nuclear program as part of a deal struck with world powers to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for eased sanctions.

Iranian state television reported that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations organization, landed in Tehran. It said nuclear engineer Massimo Aparo will lead the team, which will visit Natanz and Fordo, Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities.

The inspectors will monitor Iran’s compliance with terms of a historic deal reached Nov. 24 in Geneva between the Islamic Republic and the so-called P5+1 world powers - Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany. The deal takes effect Monday.

Under the deal, Iran has agreed to halt production of 20 percent enriched uranium, which is just steps away from bomb-making material. Iran will be able to continue enrichment up to 5 percent. It also will eliminate its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium.

2 facing terror charges appear in court

LONDON - Two men appeared in London court Saturday, charged with traveling to Syria intending to commit acts of terrorism.

Yusuf Sarwar and Mohammed Ahmed - both 21 and from Birmingham, central England - were arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday after arriving from Turkey.

The men are accused of traveling to Syria on or before May 15, via Istanbul, “with the intention of committing acts of terrorism” and preparing to engage in acts of terrorism.

They appeared Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London and were remanded in custody until Jan. 31, when they will appear at London’s Old Bailey Court.

European officials are concerned about domestic threats posed by fighters returning from Syria. British intelligence officials said they have seen hundreds from Britain go to Syria to fight.

Berlusconi, rival vow electoral overhaul

ROME - Former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, booted out of Parliament last year after his tax fraud conviction, met Saturday with his chief political foe, the leader of the main government coalition party, and agreed to back changes to make Italy more governable.

Someone pelted Berlusconi’s chauffeured sedan with an egg, and some catcalls went up as he was driven into the Rome headquarters of the Democratic Party.

Matteo Renzi, the new head of Premier Enrico Letta’s Democratic Party, defied critics in his ranks by courting the media mogul in what turned out to be a successful gambit for a pledge of support.

Berlusconi promised that his center-right Forza Italia party would back legislation to change the electoral system, a change that has been bogged down for years by squabbling across Italy’s political spectrum, perpetuating a legacy of largely unstable governments.

Berlusconi promised to work for changes that “will favor governability, a two-party system and eliminate the blackmail power of the tinier parties” in Parliament, Renzi said after the more than two-hour meeting.

Front Section, Pages 8 on 01/19/2014