Arab Spring beacon Tunisia signs new constitution
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia adopted a new constitution on Monday, a big stride towards democracy in the country that began the Arab Spring revolutions and has largely avoided the chaos and violence now plaguing the neighbors it inspired.
U.N. Security Council urges end to ransom payments to extremists
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council urges countries on Monday to stop the payment of kidnap ransoms to extremist groups like al Qaeda, which have earned hundreds of millions of dollars from such crimes.
Rwanda sending ‘chilling message’ to dissenters: U.N. rapporteur
KIGALI (Reuters) – Rwanda’s track record of prosecuting politicians who criticize President Paul Kagame’s government sends a chilling a message to opposition figures and rights campaigners, a U.N. Special Rapporteur said on Monday.
As talks struggle, Israel and Palestinians assess price of failure
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Even as Palestinians and Israelis strive for an elusive peace deal to end their generations-old conflict, the two sides are preparing for failure.
India’s Gandhi accuses Modi of ‘abetting’ riots
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s Rahul Gandhi attacked the chief opponent of his embattled Congress party on Monday by accusing his regional government of ‘abetting’ religious riots in 2002.
Central African Republic’s Muslims under attack: U.N. rights envoy
BANGUI (Reuters) – Central African Republic’s Muslim minority faces a rising wave of reprisal attacks and foreign governments must do more to prevent the country being torn apart, the top U.N. human rights official said on Monday.
Italy, Spain say want rapid end to Panama Canal dispute
ROME (Reuters) – Italy and Spain are both committed to finding a rapid solution to a dispute which is threatening to halt work on widening the Panama canal, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta and his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy said on Monday.
If he can hang on, Libyan premier may win oil standoff
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Almost every week, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan either tries to cajole the fighters choking off Libya’s crude exports or threatens to break their blockade by force.
Ukraine borrows $2 billion from Moscow, signals bailout on track
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine is borrowing another $2 billion from Russia on the same terms as a $3 billion Eurobond sold in December, in a sign that Moscow is pushing on with a $15 billion bailout despite concern about violence at anti-government protests …
Israeli lawmakers tour Auschwitz on Holocaust anniversary
KRAKOW, Poland (Reuters) – More than 50 members of the Israeli parliament toured the prisoner blocks at Auschwitz on Monday to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp.
