Italy lawmakers wrangle but set to pass Renzi electoral law
ROME (Reuters) – Italian lawmakers rejected a bid on Monday to set minimum quotas for women in parliament under a new electoral law but are expected to pass the package as a whole, advancing Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s quest for wider economic reform…
Al Shabaab leader urges Somalis to battle old enemy Ethiopia
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The leader of the al Qaeda-aligned Islamist group al Shabaab has urged Somalis to wage holy war against Ethiopia, Somalia’s Horn of Africa neighbor whose forces are preparing to lead an African Union offensive against the militant…
Libya key source for illicit arms, fueling conflicts: U.N. envoy
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. experts say Libya has become a primary source of illicit weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles, which have been trafficked to at least 14 countries and are fueling conflicts on several continents, Rwanda’s U.N. envo…
Swedish leader condemns violence linked to far right
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The Swedish government has condemned an attack over the weekend in which four people were wounded, saying violence by far-right groups was hurting the country’s image.
Saudi protester jailed for 10 years over Twitter messages
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Saudi court sentenced a man to 10 years in jail and a 100,000 riyal ($26,700) fine for joining protests against the kingdom’s rulers and using Twitter to urge people to do the same, state news agency SPA said on Monday.
Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian at Jordan crossing
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian judge from Jordan on Monday in an altercation at a crossing point between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said.
Northeast Syria faces food crisis, but access eases elsewhere: WFP
GENEVA (Reuters) – Three northeastern provinces of Syria face an “alarming” food crisis, although access to relieve the impact of civil war has improved somewhat elsewhere, a U.N. aid agency said on Monday.
Legalization won’t fix world’s drugs problem: U.N. official
VIENNA (Reuters) – Legalization will not solve the world’s narcotics problem, the U.N. anti-drugs chief said on Monday, indicating disagreement with a decision by Uruguay to allow the growing, sale and smoking of marijuana.
Senior Palestinian official killed in Lebanon: state media
AIN EL-HILWEH, Lebanon (Reuters) – A high-ranking military official from the Palestinian group Fatah was killed on Monday by gunmen in southern Lebanon, Lebanese state media said.
Turkish ‘coup’ convicts freed amid political turmoil
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey ordered the release of 19 men convicted of plotting a coup, days after an ex-military chief was freed in a case now entwined in a power struggle between Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and a U.S.-based Muslim cleric.
