PM Orban’s party firmly leads in poll, far-right gains
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Public support for Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling center-right party has increased among all voters before the April 6 election and far-right Jobbik also managed to boost its standing, pollster Szazadveg reported on Monday.
China summons Manila envoy over South China Sea legal case
BEIJING (Reuters) – China summoned the Philippines ambassador on Monday to lodge a strong complaint over Manila’s seeking of international arbitration in a festering territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
Greek police ban protests during EU meetings in Athens
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police have banned protests in Athens when the Greek capital hosts a meeting of European Union finance ministers on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing security reasons.
Turkish military fires into Syria after rocket hits mosque
ANKARA (Reuters) – The Turkish military fired back into Syria on Monday in retaliation for mortar shells and a rocket from over the border that hit a mosque in the town of Yayladagi, the provincial governor’s office and local media said.
Croatia sentences former army chief to jail for graft
ZAGREB (Reuters) – A Croatian court sentenced the country’s former army chief to prison on Monday, saying he and five others had manipulated real estate prices in deals that eventually cost Croatia 61.2 million kuna ($11 million).
Iran’s Supreme Leader pardons 920 prisoners: IRNA
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei agreed on Monday to pardon or reduce the sentences of 920 people, the official IRNA news agency reported, in a customary gesture to mark the anniversary of the Islamic Republic.
Former Pakistani president Musharraf denies treason
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf pleaded not guilty to five counts of treason on Monday in the latest chapter of a long-running drama between the increasingly assertive judiciary and its former military ruler.
UK anti-EU party head admires Putin for “brilliant” Syria policy
LONDON (Reuters) – Vladimir Putin is the world leader who is most admired by the head of Britain’s anti-European Union party because of the Russian president’s “brilliant” handling of the Syria crisis, Nigel Farage said in an interview published on Mon…
Cuba’s past raises skepticism about new foreign investment law
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba has declared itself open for business with a new foreign investment law but faces deep skepticism given a history that includes jailing foreign executives and attempting to seize greater control of businesses once they prove suc…
Switzerland grants Khodorkovsky one-year residency permit
ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland has granted former Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky a one-year residence permit, a government spokeswoman said on Monday, three months after he was released from a Russian jail.
