Crimea leader sees over 80 percent backing Russia union
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) – The leader of Crimea’s separatist authorities said more than 80 percent of the region’s people supported the break with Ukraine and union with Russia that they will vote on in a referendum on Sunday.
Russia blocks internet sites of Putin critics
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia blocked access to the internet sites of prominent Kremlin foes Alexei Navalny and Garry Kasparov on Thursday under a new law critics say is designed to silence dissent in President Vladimir Putin’s third term.
Mediator Brahimi says Syria election now won’t aid peace talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – If Syria goes ahead with an election that would likely secure a new term for President Bashar al-Assad, the opposition will probably not be interested in pursuing further peace talks with the government, peace mediator Lakhda…
Sudan rebel leaders, 15 others, condemned to death – lawyer
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Two leaders from the main rebel alliance fighting Sudan’s president and 15 members of their group were sentenced to death in absentia on Thursday, their lawyer said, a move that will raise the stakes in fighting in southern regions…
Gunmen kill at least 40 in Nigerian ethnic violence
KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) – Gunmen have killed at least 40 people in a series of attacks in the northern Nigerian state of Katsina, in violence between rival ethnic groups over farmland and cattle, police said on Thursday.
U.S. suspends some aid to Uganda over anti-gay law
KAMPALA (Reuters) – The United States has suspended some aid to Uganda’s ministry of health, officials said on Thursday, in its first concrete move reported in response to the passing of an anti-homosexuality law.
Former guerrilla wins El Salvador vote; rival protests
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – A former Marxist guerrilla leader won El Salvador’s presidential election by a margin of less than one quarter of 1 percent, final results showed on Thursday, and his right-wing rival continued to press to have the vote annulle…
Princess Diana leaked royal directories to Murdoch tabloid, court hears
LONDON (Reuters) – The former royal editor of Rupert Murdoch’s now defunct British tabloid the News of the World told a court on Thursday the late Princess Diana had given him a directory of royal phone numbers to get back at her then husband Prince Ch…
Islamist rebels in Syria claim kidnapping of 94 civilians – video
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria have claimed responsibility for kidnapping at least 94 women and children belonging to President Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect, according to a video published on Thursday.
Algerian prime minister resigns to run Bouteflika campaign
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal resigned on Thursday, state media said, to run the re-election campaign of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the ageing independence leader who is widely expected to win five more years in pow…
