As European elections loom, parties struggle for attention
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – In a little over two weeks, in a vast exercise spread over four days and 28 countries, as many as 350 million Europeans will go to the polls to vote in elections to the European Parliament, the EU’s only directly elected body.
Ukraine forces briefly occupy city hall in eastern Mariupol
MARIUPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian forces seized the rebel-held city hall in the eastern port city of Mariupol overnight, driving out pro-Russian activists, then withdrew, making no attempt to hold onto the building, witnesses said on Wednesday.
Japan PM adviser says revision of pacifist constitution vital
TOKYO (Reuters) – The idea that Japan can improve its security without dropping a long-standing ban on aiding friendly countries under attack is a miracle that just won’t happen, the acting head of an advisory panel to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on…
‘Vacuum’ looms as Lebanese lawmakers fail to choose a president
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese lawmakers failed for a third time to choose a president on Wednesday, raising fears the seat will remain vacant after President Michel Suleiman’s term expires in less than three weeks.
Kosovo parliament dissolves before early June election
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo’s parliament dissolved on Wednesday, paving the way for an early election next month after ethnic Serb lawmakers, who are in a minority, refused to vote on a new national army earlier this week.
Hamas eases ban on Palestinian newspapers from outside Gaza in unity gesture
GAZA (Reuters) – The Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip said on Wednesday it had relaxed a ban on Palestinian newspapers published outside the enclave as a gesture of reconciliation to rival group Fatah after their unity deal last month.
IAEA team tours Iran uranium mine, agrees on monitoring reactor: Iranian media
DUBAI/VIENNA (Reuters) – U.N. inspectors visited a uranium mine in Iran and reached agreement on how to monitor a planned reactor, part of an effort to allay fears about Tehran’s nuclear program, Iranian media said on Wednesday.
Bodies found, more missing after India massacre of Muslims
GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) – Indian police searched for at least a dozen missing people on Wednesday after finding seven bodies floating down river from a national park in Assam where Muslim villagers were killed in a massacre that has marred the countr…
Afghan leader tries to calm landslide victims amid aid tensions
AAB BAREEK, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited a refugee camp for victims of a deadly landslide on Wednesday, trying to calm villagers angered by the slow delivery of emergency aid and an initial government refusal to help re…
Rebels evacuated from Homs, cradle of Syrian uprising
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian rebels started withdrawing from the heart of Homs city on Wednesday, leaving an early centre of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad and handing him a symbolic victory less than a month before his likely re-election.
