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.
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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.
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Epstein files: Maxwell courts a pardonFeature A new prison transcript shows Ghislaine Maxwell praising Trump as 'a gentleman' while denying his involvement in the Epstein scandal
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Pentagon readies military deployment in ChicagoFeature The Pentagon is preparing to deploy thousands of Illinois National Guard members to Chicago after Trump threatened to send troops into other major cities
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Trump: Taking over the private sector?Feature Donald Trump has secured a 10% stake in Intel using funds from the Biden-era CHIPS Act
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The news at a glance...Internationalfeature International
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The bottom line
feature Youthful startup founders; High salaries for anesthesiologists; The myth of too much homework; More mothers stay a home; Audiences are down, but box office revenue rises
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The week at a glance...Americas
feature Americas
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The news at a glance
feature Comcast defends planned TWC merger; Toyota recalls 6.39 million vehicles; Takeda faces $6 billion in damages; American updates loyalty program; Regulators hike leverage ratio
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The news at a glance...United States
feature United States
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The bottom line
feature The rising cost of graduate degrees; NSA surveillance affects tech profits; A glass ceiling for female chefs?; Bonding to a brand name; Generous Wall Street bonuses
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The news at a glance
feature GM chief faces Congress; FBI targets high-frequency trading; Yellen confirms continued low rates; BofA settles mortgage claims for $9.3B; Apple and Samsung duke it out
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The week at a glance...International
feature International