Putin foes fear Internet crackdown as ‘blogger law’ sails through
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s upper house of parliament approved a law on Tuesday that will impose stricter rules on bloggers and is seen by critics as an attempt by President Vladimir Putin to stifle dissent on the Internet.
Zimbabwe opposition leader Tsvangirai expels party challenger
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s opposition MDC Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday expelled party secretary general and former finance minister Tendai Biti, the latest installment in infighting that has effectively split the movement into two camps.
U.N. renews Western Sahara mission, but without rights monitors
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council renewed a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the disputed North African territory of Western Sahara for another year on Tuesday, and urged all sides to respect human rights, but it did not call for the Uni…
Slovenian PM, ousted as party boss, wants election by July
LJUBLJANA (Reuters) – Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said on Tuesday she would remain at the helm of her coalition government until an early election, which she said she would like to see by July.
Yemeni army in major ground offensive against al Qaeda
ADEN (Reuters) – Yemeni troops, backed by air force planes, launched a major offensive against al Qaeda strongholds in the south of the country on Tuesday to try to eradicate the Islamist militant group that had killed hundreds since 2011.
Tunisia takes fight to militants in mountain hideout
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian security forces backed by jets and helicopters have begun a major operation to root out al Qaeda-linked militants from a hideout in the Chaambi mountains bordering Algeria.
Senior U.S. lawmaker will not sign off on aid for Egyptian military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees foreign aid, said on Tuesday he will not approve aid for the Egyptian military.
U.N. Security Council removes ban on Ivory Coast diamond exports
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday partially eased a decade-long arms embargo on Ivory Coast and removed a ban on diamond exports, a measure U.N. experts claimed failed to stop illicit trafficking of rough diamonds.
Uganda says to begin repatriating 184,000 Congolese refugees
KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda will begin repatriating as many as 184,000 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) refugees after a large number of them asked to go home, a junior minister told Reuters on Tuesday.
Israeli forces demolish West Bank mosque as peace talks deadline passes
KHIRBET AL-TAWEEL, West Bank (Reuters) – Israeli forces demolished several structures, including a mosque, in a Palestinian village on Tuesday, the day a deadline for a deal in now-frozen peace talks expired.
