Amid Kabila stand-off, Congo parliament extends privileges to former presidents
Democratic Republic of Congo’s parliament has passed a law expanding financial privileges for former presidents, lawmakers said on Thursday, a move seen as an incentive for President Joseph Kabila to step down following an election in December.
Cleric Sadr backs Iraq protests, calls for delay in government formation
Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose political bloc won Iraq’s May 12 election, called on all politicians to delay efforts to form a new government until the demands of protesters seeking better services in the south are met.
Britain dismisses news report on Skripal poisoners as ‘wild speculation’
Britain’s security minister on Thursday dismissed a report that police have identified several Russians who were behind the poisoning of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal as “wild speculation”.
Syria’s Assad set to recover Golan frontier as surrender deal agreed: sources
President Bashar al-Assad is set to recover control of the Syrian frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in a major victory over rebels who have agreed to surrender terms, sources on both sides said on Thursday.
Former Catalan minister Ponsati’s lawyer welcomes Spanish ruling but remains wary
Former Catalan minister Clara Ponsati’s lawyer welcomed a Spanish court’s decision to withdraw European Arrest Warrants against Catalan politicians, but said it was unclear whether they would be allowed back.
Rohingya report more violence, persecution in Myanmar: U.N. investigators
Muslim Rohingya refugees reaching Bangladesh say violence, including torture, persists against them in Myanmar and the overall environment remains “menacing” for ethnic and religious minorities, U.N. human rights investigators said on Thursday.
‘Treasure ship’ claim raises eyebrows in South Korea
A South Korean company’s claims that it has discovered the wreck of a Russian warship containing $130 billion in gold “treasure” off South Korea has been met with scepticism from researchers and regulators in Seoul.
EU raps Hungary for ‘Stop Soros’ law, steps up legal battle
The European Commission on Thursday stepped up a legal battle with Hungary over EU migration rules and denounced as illegal its “Stop Soros” law that criminalizes support for asylum seekers.
Head of Slovenia’s largest party tells president he cannot form government
The head of the largest party in Slovenia’s parliament, the anti-immigrant Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), told President Borut Pahor on Thursday he did not yet have sufficient support to become prime minister and form a government.
Spain declines extradition of former Catalan leader from Germany
Spain’s Supreme Court said on Thursday it had decided to decline the extradition of former Catalan regional leader Carles Puigdemont from Germany on the charge of misuse of public funds linked to his organization of a banned referendum on independence….
