Negotiator wins ‘greedy’ tag in EU spat over London banks

As preparations for this week’s European summit enter their final stretch, France is leading resistance to U.K. demands for a deal to shield British banks from the rules governing lenders in the euro area. French negotiator Philippe Leglise-Costa pushed back against British Prime Minister David Cameron’s insistence on fencing off financial regulation for the City of London at a meeting of European officials in Brussels Thursday. While his stance throws up a potential obstacle to a deal between European Union leaders, it earned him the rueful respect of Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to European Commission President Jean- Claude Juncker.

Egypt policeman’s conviction overturned

Egypt’s highest appeals court yesterday overturned the conviction of a police officer sentenced to 15 years in prison for the killing of a female protester in a January 2015 shooting captured on video and photos. Cassation Court Judge Taha Qassim also ruled that a new trial be held for the officer, Yassin Hatem Salah Eddin, who was convicted and sentenced in June last year for premeditated manslaughter. Salah Eddin was 25 at the time of the killing.

Syrian opposition figure slams Russia

A top Syrian opposition figure criticized Russia yesterday for continuing with its bombing in Syria, insisting that people in the country need to see action rather than words. The head of the Saudi-backed Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee, former Prime Minister Riad Hijab, also stopped short of declaring a clear commitment to implement a planned temporary truce. “You ask me if I accept a cease-fire or a cessation of hostilities. I ask you: why is the onus on the opposition and whether it has preconditions for negotiations?” Hijab said. “I would like to see a single day of a cessation of hostilities in order to give a chance for real political movement.”