Portugal’s ex-PM refuses to leave jail for house arrest
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s former premier, Jose Socrates, who has been in jail since November on suspicion of corruption, has refused an offer of house arrest with an ankle monitor and attacked the justice system for trying to cover up errors in his…
U.N. nuclear agency backs report despite Russian protest over Crimea
VIENNA (Reuters) – The annual report of the U.N. nuclear watchdog has been approved by its board of governors despite Russia’s protests against it listing a nuclear site near Crimea’s Sevastopol as being in Ukraine, according to a document seen by Reut…
U.S. contractors hurt in Bulgarian blast were testing arms to buy for Syrian opposition
SOFIA (Reuters) – Three U.S. government defense contractors caught in a blast at a Bulgarian military range were testing out arms for purchase as part of the U.S.-led mission to equip Syrian opposition fighters battling Islamic State, a U.S. military s…
Libya’s elected parliament rejects U.N. unity government proposal
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – A United Nations proposal to form a unity government for Libya, which has rival administrations fighting for territory and oil resources, was rejected by one of the sides on Tuesday, a senior lawmaker said, after months of n…
Egypt court sentences 11 to death over soccer violence
CAIRO (Reuters) – A court sentenced 11 men to death on Tuesday for their part in Egypt’s worst violence at a soccer stadium, in which more than 70 fans were killed in 2012.
Mother sues France over jihadi Bryan’s departure
PARIS (Reuters) – The mother of a young Frenchman who converted to Islam and went to join jihadist fighters in Syria is suing the state for failing to stop him leaving the airport of his Riviera home town of Nice.
Suspected petrol bombs thrown at Czech defence minister’s house
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky confirmed on Tuesday that what appeared to be fire bombs had been thrown at his house early on Sunday morning.
U.S.-Turkey dispute on Syria to persist after Erdogan setback
(In June 8 item, corrects ninth paragraph to reflect that Henri Barkey is a former State Department Policy Planning Staff official)
Nigerian summit to be ‘decisive’ for Boko Haram task force: Benin
PARIS (Reuters) – Countries waging a regional fight against the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram will take significant steps toward establishing a joint task force when they meet on Thursday in Abuja, Benin’s president said.
Britain says drafting U.N. resolution on Srebrenica genocide
SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Britain is drafting a resolution at the United Nations Security Council to mark next month’s 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia, potentially piling pressure on Serbia to recognize it as genocide.
