Afghan election body names ex-finance minister Ghani president-elect
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s election commission declared former finance minister Ashraf Ghani as the war-ravaged country’s president-elect on Sunday after an acrimonious dispute over fraud, but did not give the final vote tally after a U.N.-monitor…
Bomb kills three policemen, including witness against Mursi
CAIRO (Reuters) – A bomb blast beside Egypt’s foreign ministry killed three policemen on Sunday, including a key witness in a trial of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.
Turkey says no ransom paid for release of hostages held by Islamic State
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday no ransom had been paid for the release of Turkish hostages held by Islamic State but he declined to be drawn on whether their release freed Turkey’s hand to take a more active stance against…
Pope, on trip to mainly Muslim Albania, condemns Islamist militants
TIRANA Albania (Reuters) – Pope Francis, in his strongest criticism of Islamist militants to date, said on Sunday no religious group which used violence and oppression could claim to be “the armor of God”.
Sarkozy takes swipe at French presidential rivals in comeback campaign
PARIS (Reuters) – Nicolas Sarkozy, the author of state pension changes that inspired mass protests, wasted no time in attacking potential rivals in the 2017 presidential race after announcing his return to French politics via Facebook.
Kenya to stay course in quest to stabilize Somalia: President
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan troops will keep fighting Islamist militants in Somalia until peace and stability is restored to the region, President Uhuru Kenyatta said, one year after gunmen stormed a shopping mall in his country’s capital.
Afghanistan’s presidential rivals sign power-sharing deal
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s rival presidential candidates signed a deal on Sunday to share power after months of turmoil over a disputed election that destabilized the nation at a crucial time as most foreign troops prepare to leave.
Ukraine says ceasefire violations hold up creation of buffer zone
KIEV (Reuters) – The Ukrainian military accused separatists and Russian troops on Sunday of continuing to shoot at government forces despite a Sept. 5 ceasefire and said Kiev would not go ahead with setting up a proposed buffer zone until the truce vio…
Eyeing 2015 election, UK’s Labour pledges rise in minimum wage
MANCHESTER England (Reuters) – Britain’s opposition Labour party promised on Sunday to raise the national minimum wage by more than 25 percent within five years if it wins next year’s national election, a pledge designed to win over voters hit by risin…
Turkish president says no ransom paid for release of hostages held by ISIS
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday no ransom was paid for the release of Turkish hostages held by Islamic State in Iraq and that it was the result of diplomatic and political negotiation.
