Italy’s Berlusconi says Crimea split from Ukraine was democratic
ROME (Reuters) – Four-time Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Sunday the Crimean people had made a democratic choice to split from Ukraine and hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin as the world’s greatest political leader.
Feted in China, Xi’s U.S. profile dims in shadow of pope
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On Friday morning, Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoyed the symbolic high point of his first state visit to the United States – a 21-gun salute as he stood with President Barack Obama outside the White House.
Victorious Catalan separatists claim mandate to break with Spain
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Separatists on Sunday won a clear majority of seats in Catalonia’s parliament in an election that sets the region on a collision course with Spain’s central government over independence.
Russia seizes initiative in Syria crisis; France bombs Islamic State
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Russia appeared to seize the initiative in international efforts to end the conflict in Syria on Sunday as Washington scrambled to devise a new strategy for the war-ravaged country and France sent warplanes to bomb Islamic St…
Rouhani says beating Syria militants is priority, not government reform
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday fighting radical militants like Islamic State in Syria is the top priority and if they are to be defeated then President Bashar al-Assad’s government “can’t be weakened.”
Dalai Lama remains in U.S. clinic for health check: official
(Reuters) – Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, on Sunday remained at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for evaluation following a medical visit his office said was a routine annual check-up.
Austrian far-right party gets electoral boost from migrant crisis
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) doubled its votes to finish a strong second in a state election on Sunday, dealing a blow to the two main centrist parties which were left nursing heavy losses.
Honduras says U.N. rights office to monitor drugs crackdown
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations will open a human rights monitoring office in Honduras this year to guard against possible violations by security forces as they crack down on drug gangs, President Juan Hernandez said on Sunday.
Iran denounces Saudi Arabia over haj and demands apology
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran demanded an apology from Saudi Arabia on Sunday over the deaths of 769 people at the haj pilgrimage and accused it of trying to evade blame, while Riyadh in turn accused Tehran of playing politics with the disaster.
Rights group demands Chinese supporters of Hong Kong democracy be freed
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Amnesty International called on Monday for the release of eight mainland Chinese activists who face long prison sentences for posting messages and pictures supporting Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy protests.
