Afghanistan
Bombs kill 38, wound dozens
Two large bombs exploded near government offices Tuesday in the capital, killing at least 38 people and hurting over 70 in the deadliest Taliban violence in Kabul in months. In southern Afghanistan, another attack at a guesthouse belonging to the governor of Kandahar province killed five people and wounded 12. An ambassador from the United Arab Emirates and other UAE diplomats were hurt.
VATICAN CITY
Knights won’t aid papal probe
The Knights of Malta, the ancient Catholic lay order, is refusing to cooperate with a Vatican investigation into the firing of a top official over a condom scandal — and is warning its members to toe the line if they choose to speak with investigators. In a statement Tuesday, the Knights called Pope Francis’ probe legally “irrelevant” and aimed at limiting its sovereignty. It said the ouster of its grand chancellor, Albrecht von Boeselager, was an act of internal governance that in no way involves religious superiors. Boeselager was suspended Dec. 8 after he refused to resign over revelations that the order’s charity branch distributed tens of thousands of condoms in Myanmar under his watch.
Italy
Siblings accused of hacking
Police arrested a brother and sister suspected of conducting a yearslong campaign of hacking that targeted thousands of accounts of leading political and business figures in Italy. National police say the motives of Giulio Occhionero, 45, and Francesca Maria Occhionero, 49, remain a mystery, and they haven’t found any evidence of extortion or attempts to use the hacked data. Those in the crosshairs included Matteo Renzi when he was Italian premier and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.
CANADA
PM Trudeau shuffles Cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shook up his Cabinet on Tuesday, less than two weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president. Trudeau named Chrystia Freeland foreign minister amid worries Trump will renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Freeland was trade minister when she oversaw last year’s ratification of the Canada-European Union trade deal after concerns Europe wouldn’t OK it. NAFTA is Canada’s most important pact.
Compiled from wire reports.