Macedonia’s VMRO takes early lead in parliamentary election
SKOPJE (Reuters) – Macedonia’s nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party was in the lead in parliamentary elections on Sunday with just under half the votes counted, the country’s state electoral commission said.
Moderate leftist enters French Socialist primaries
PARIS (Reuters) – Former French education minister Vincent Peillon on Sunday joined a crowded field of candidates in the ruling Socialist party’s primaries to select a candidate to run in next year’s presidential election.
German left-leaning parties meet to explore coalition option
BERLIN (Reuters) – German lawmakers from the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and two smaller parties met on Sunday to explore the possibility of forming a coalition government to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel next year.
More than 100 killed in church collapse in Nigeria: journalist, resident
UYO, Nigeria (Reuters) – At least 100 people were killed by the collapse of a church in southeastern Nigeria, a resident and photojournalist who visited a morgue said on Sunday, but officials put the death toll at just 27.
Philippines president rejects rebels’ demand to free more prisoners
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday rejected a demand by Maoist-led rebels to free more prisoners as part of a ceasefire deal, saying he had made enough concessions and was willing to let peace talks collapse if necessary….
Exclusive: U.S. and Russia propose safe exit for Aleppo rebels – opposition officials
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The United States and Russia on Sunday tabled a proposal to rebels in Aleppo that would offer safe passage from the city for fighters, their families and other civilians, three opposition officials with Aleppo rebel groups told Reute…
Kyrgyzstan amends constitution in referendum, boosting government powers
BISHKEK (Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan has voted in favor of constitutional changes boosting the power of its government, the Central Election Commission said on Sunday, citing preliminary results of a national referendum.
Car bombs in Iraq’s Falluja kill eight people: police and medics
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Eight people were killed in two car bombings in the Iraqi city of Falluja west of Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said, and a news agency close to Islamic State said its militants carried out the attacks.
Iran says Gulf worried about war risks with Trump
DUBAI (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s election has led to unease over threats to peace in the region, Iran’s defense minister said on Sunday, warning that a war would destroy Israel and the small Gulf Arab states.
Oil slump prompts Gulf states to take shine off cushy government jobs
DOHA (Reuters) – Ahmed, a Qatari civil servant, used to arrive at his office at a government ministry in Doha late in the morning and leave for home after lunch, collecting a monthly salary of 40,000 rial ($11,000) and a generous housing and travel all…
