Mali signs peace deal, rebels want more time for consultation
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Mali’s government signed a preliminary peace deal on Sunday meant to end fighting with northern separatists, but the Tuareg-led rebels asked for more time for consultations before agreeing to the accord.
Austria asks Swiss to do new autopsy on dead Kazakh dissident: paper
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria has asked Switzerland to carry out an autopsy on Rakhat Aliyev, a Kazakh dissident found hanged in an Austrian prison last week, to dispel any suggestions of a cover up after a first post mortem found traces of sedatives.
Maduro says Venezuela detains U.S. citizens; announces moves against U.S.
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday his government had detained U.S. citizens, including a pilot, on suspicion of espionage, in a move likely to strain already tense relations between Washington and Caracas.
Egypt court ruling opens way for possible election delay
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court ruled on Sunday that an article in a law defining voting districts was unconstitutional, opening the way for a possible delay in a long-awaited March-April parliamentary poll.
Bahrain charges 17 bombing suspects
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain’s public prosecutor has charged 17 people with forming a militant group and carrying out bombings that wounded security personnel, the state news agency said on Saturday.
Activist monk seeks Buddhism overhaul in Thailand over corruption fears
NAKHON PATHOM, Thailand (Reuters) – Phra Buddha Issara is a monk with a mission. From his Buddhist temple near Bangkok he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, fearing millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernizing nati…
U.S.-led coalition launches air strikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq, Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S.-led coalition launched 11 air strikes in Iraq and nine in Syria since early Friday against Islamic State militants, the Combined Joint Task Force said.
Netanyahu takes Iran campaign to Jerusalem holy site
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu took his campaign against a nuclear deal with Iran to Jerusalem’s sacred Western Wall on Saturday, on the eve of his departure to Washington to address Congress on the issue.
Obama to veto bill letting Congress weigh in on Iran deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama would veto a bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate allowing Congress to weigh in on any deal the United States and other negotiating countries reach with Iran on its nuclear capabilities, the White Ho…
Ukrainian journalist killed in shelling despite ceasefire
KIEV (Reuters) – A Ukrainian journalist was killed by shelling in east Ukraine on Saturday, his newspaper said, even as the Ukrainian military reported a significant drop in rebel attacks, boosting hopes for a two-week-old ceasefire.
