EU defends Ashton’s meeting with Iranian human rights activists
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday defended her talks with human rights activists during a recent visit to Iran, saying meeting dissidents is a central part of her official travels.
Ukraine’s Firtash says his detention ‘political’, raps U.S.
VIENNA (Reuters) – Ukrainian industrialist Dmytro Firtash, arrested in Austria last week at the request of the United States pending his possible extradition for suspected corruption, accused Washington on Tuesday of having him detained for “purely pol…
Somali militant strike kills peacekeepers, government troops
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – An al Shabaab suicide bomber rammed a car into the gates of a hotel used by African Union peacekeepers in central Somalia before gunmen sprayed the building with bullets, killing many, the al Qaeda-linked militant group and reside…
Could Iran’s Arak reactor be “de-fanged” to ease bomb fears?
VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran appears ready to help allay international concerns that a planned research reactor could yield nuclear bomb material, raising hope for a compromise on a tough sticking point in negotiations with world powers.
Four Israeli troops hurt in Golan blast, Israel blames Syria
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A roadside bomb wounded four Israeli soldiers patrolling the occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday, and Israel retaliated with artillery fire on Syrian army positions, the army said.
Golden Dawn expels lawmaker as Greece tightens net on far-right
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn expelled a lawmaker on Tuesday, its second deputy to go in less than a week, exposing cracks in a party many of whose top officials are in jail pending trial.
Oil in seized tanker belongs to Libya’s east: rebel leader
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – A Libyan rebel leader said on Tuesday the oil in a tanker seized by the U.S. Navy belongs to the people of Libya’s eastern Cyrenaica region and called on the Arab League to intervene.
Afghan president picks new VP, bomb kills 15
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai nominated a new vice president on Tuesday, a moderate politician from the same ethnic group as an opposition candidate contesting next month’s presidential election.
Syria chemical weapons store attacked by rockets: sources
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Five rockets were fired at the main transit point for Syria’s chemical weapons this month, with one landing near to where experts overseeing the destruction of the toxic stockpile were staying, sources said on Tuesday.
Israel says might not carry out Palestinian prisoner release
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday it might not carry out a final stage of a Palestinian prisoner release unless he commits to prolonging peace talks beyond a U.S.-set April deadline for a deal.
