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.
Thai PM defends negligence charges as economy falters
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday defended herself against negligence charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office, the latest development in a political cris…
India’s Modi targets Gandhi over Italian marines case
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian opposition leader Narendra Modi launched a direct attack on rival Sonia Gandhi on Monday, suggesting she had sought to shield Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in a case that has strained ties with Ita…
Kerry returns to Middle East to push flailing peace talks
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke from his travel schedule for the second time in a week to rush back to the Middle East on Monday to try to salvage Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
China charges former senior military officer with graft: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has charged former senior army officer Gu Junshan with corruption, state news agency Xinhua said on Monday, in what is likely to be the country’s worst military scandal since a vice admiral was jailed for life for embezzlement…
Bahrain jails 13 for life over protest, attack: lawyer
MANAMA (Reuters) – Thirteen Bahrainis were sentenced to life in prison after they were convicted of trying to kill two policemen by attacking their vehicle and of taking part in an illegal protest, their lawyer said on Monday.
