Venezuelan Congress seeks probe of protest leader
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s Congress on Tuesday requested a criminal investigation of opposition deputy Maria Corina Machado for crimes including treason in relation to her involvement in anti-government protests that have left at least 28 dead.
Putin signs Crimea treaty as Ukraine serviceman dies in attack
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Defying Ukrainian protests and Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty in Moscow on Tuesday making Crimea part of Russia again but said he did not plan to seize any other regions of Ukraine.
Ukraine crisis not seen hurting Iran nuclear talks: EU
VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran and six world powers sought on Tuesday to make headway toward resolving their decade-old nuclear dispute, with Western officials expressing hope the talks would not be further complicated by the Ukraine crisis.
Italy high court confirms Berlusconi ban from public office
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s highest appeals court on Tuesday confirmed a two-year ban from public office for centre-right leader and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over a conviction for tax fraud.
Protests flare across Lebanon against ‘siege’ of border town
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese demonstrators blocked several roads throughout the country on Tuesday evening in protest at what they called a “siege” on the Sunni Muslim town of Arsal on the border with Syria.
Area of Malaysia plane search now size of Australia
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – An international land and sea search for a missing Malaysian jetliner is covering an area the size of Australia, authorities said on Tuesday, but police and intelligence agencies have yet to establish a clear motive to explain …
War crimes evidence in Syria solid enough for indictment: U.N.
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. investigators said on Tuesday they had expanded their list of suspected war criminals from both sides in Syria’s civil war and the evidence was solid enough to prepare any indictment.
EU, U.S. denounce China’s arrests of activists
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United States and European Union (EU) accused China on Tuesday of using arrests and harassment to silence human rights activists, also voicing consternation at the death in custody of a prominent dissident.
Iran says woman sentenced to stoning given ‘leave’ from prison
DUBAI (Reuters) – An Iranian woman sentenced to die by stoning for adultery and later given a 10-year jail term instead has been allowed to leave prison, the judiciary said, in a new twist to a case that has triggered years of criticism of Iran’s right…
EU’s Van Rompuy not meeting Putin on Wednesday: spokesman
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A spokesman for European Council President Herman Van Rompuy denied a report by a Russian news agency that Van Rompuy would meet President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, saying he was not travelling to Moscow.
