Amnesty condemns arrest of another human rights activist in Azerbaijan
BAKU (Reuters) – Amnesty International said on Monday it considered Rasul Jafarov, a prominent human rights activist in Azerbaijan, who had been arrested last week, a prisoner of conscience.
Libya’s new parliament calls for unity as rival militias clash
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s new parliament appealed for national unity at its first formal session on Monday as rival armed factions battled for dominance of a country struggling to hold itself together three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Scotland’s pro-independence camp betting on TV debate to win votes
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Supporters of Scottish independence are hoping leader Alex Salmond’s performance in a U.S.-style television debate on Tuesday can boost their campaign, which is lagging in opinion polls.
Lebanese army advances in border battle with Islamists
OUTSKIRTS OF ARSAL Lebanon (Reuters) – The Lebanese army advanced on Monday into a border town attacked by Islamists at the weekend in the most serious spillover of the three-year-old Syrian civil war into Lebanon, and the Beirut government said the de…
U.S. to press South China Sea freeze despite China rejection
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, at a meeting with Southeast Asian nations this weekend, will press for a voluntary freeze on actions aggravating territorial disputes in the South China Sea, in spite of Beijing’s rejection of …
Israel, Palestinians accept Egypt’s 72-hour truce bid
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement agreed on Monday to an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire to end four weeks of fighting in the Gaza Strip, while Jerusalem was rocked by two attacks that appeared to be a backlash to the violen…
Iraqi PM orders air force to help Kurds fight Islamic State
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered his air force for the first time to back Kurdish forces against Islamic State fighters after the Sunni militants made another dramatic push through the north, state television reported on…
Russia to hold war games in show of strength near Ukraine
MOSCOW/DONESTSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Russia announced military exercises near the border with Ukraine on Monday in a show of strength as the Ukrainian army recaptured more territory from pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
UK summons Ethiopian diplomat over opposition official’s arrest
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain summoned Ethiopia’s chargé d’affaires on Monday to raise its concerns about the arrest of a British national being held in Ethiopia who has been sentenced to death over his involvement with an opposition political group.
Erdogan dominates Turkey’s uneven presidential race
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Cheers erupted from the packed stands when Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan scored his third goal in a celebrity soccer match to mark the opening of an Istanbul stadium.
