London
Al Qaida figure to be freed: The spiritual leader of al Qaida in Europe was ordered freed on bail in London this week. Abu Qatada, a Jordanian cleric whose sermons inspired al Qaida terrorists Mohamed Atta, Zacarias Moussaoui, and Richard Reid, has been detained under British immigration rules for six years, pending extradition to his native Jordan for trial on terrorism charges. But the European Court of Human Rights recently ruled that he could not be deported because the evidence against him in Jordan was obtained through torture. This week a British court said he must therefore be released on bail and given asylum, entitling him to up to $1,600 a month in state benefits. The British government is considering an appeal. “This is a dangerous man who we believe poses a real threat to our security,” the Home Office said.
Central and Eastern Europe
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Freezing to death: A Siberian cold front’s icy grip has killed hundreds of people across Central and Eastern Europe, including 135 in Ukraine alone. Snow blanketed the Balkans, and temperatures dropped to minus 39 in the Czech Republic. Lacking adequate heat in their homes, thousands of people have turned to government-run shelters. In some places, the frigid weather is bringing bitter enemies together: Serbian helicopter crews airlifted supplies this week to Bosnian villages cut off by 10-foot snowdrifts. “We have to show solidarity in times like this,” said pilot Zelja Kovacevic. “This is about people in danger. I just hope we will get to all people who need our help.”
Bucharest, Romania
Protests topple government: Protesters furious over the Romanian government’s harsh austerity measures have succeeded in ousting the government—but they want more. Prime Minister Emil Boc resigned this week, and President Traian Basescu appointed Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, a former foreign minister, to succeed him. Opposition politicians said the replacement was not enough. “We believe this is an improvised solution by Basescu to keep the current coalition in power, although most Romanians don’t agree with this,” said opposition leader Crin Antonescu. Protests continued in Romania this week, as hundreds of people called for early elections and Basescu’s resignation.
