Afghan presidential election set for Abdullah-Ghani run-off
KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghanistan presidential vote is poised to go to a run-off, the election chief said on Thursday, after the latest tally of ballots showed neither Abdullah Abdullah nor Ashraf Ghani securing an outright majority.
Abbas seeks legitimacy in Palestinian strategy splurge
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Rather than keep his cards close to his chest, President Mahmoud Abbas is playing them all at once in a confusing effort to advance Palestinian statehood and bolster his own fragile legitimacy.
Jeddah residents jittery over spread of deadly MERS virus
JEDDAH (Reuters) – The first paper face masks appeared at check-in before the early morning flight from Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh to Jeddah, where a sudden surge of infections of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has alarmed some residents.
Exclusive: EU considers ban on deals with banks in Crimea
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union may ban transactions with financial institutions in Crimea as part of its response to the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula by Russia last month, an EU document obtained by Reuters showed.
Thousands mob India’s Modi as election race starts in sacred city
VARANASI, India (Reuters) – India’s Narendra Modi received a hero’s welcome from thousands of orange-clad supporters as he launched his election campaign on Thursday in the religious city of Varanasi, a show of strength for the Hindu nationalist tipped…
Obama reaffirms commitment to Japan on tour of Asia allies
TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama assured ally Japan on Thursday that Washington was committed to its defense, including of tiny isles at the heart of a row with China, but denied he had drawn any new “red line” and urged peaceful dialogue …
U.S. official says Hamas-PLO government would prompt aid reassessment
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States would have to reconsider its assistance to the Palestinians if Islamist group Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization form a government together, a senior U.S. administration official said on Thursday….
Leader of Mali coup charged with conspiracy to murder after bodies discovered
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malian authorities have changed the indictment against former military coup leader General Amadou Sanogo to a more serious charge of conspiracy to murder which carries the death penalty in the West African nation, his lawyer said Thu…
Embattled South Sudan president replaces army chief
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has sacked his army chief, a military spokesman said, replacing him with a loyalist from his own ethnic group as the country’s four-month conflict shows signs of being increasingly fought along tribal…
Anti-graft group accuses EU of complacency on corruption
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European lobbyists carry out much of their work in secrecy and there is widespread complacency in Brussels about tackling corruption or conflicts of interest, Transparency International said on Thursday.
