Armed men seize urns from Malian polling stations: officials
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Armed men burst into voting stations in the region of Timbuktu in northern Mali and carried off ballot boxes, preventing voters from casting their ballots in Sunday’s legislative elections, officials said.
German parties edge warily towards ‘grand coalition’ deal
BERLIN (Reuters) – Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) head into a decisive week of German coalition talks on track to form a government but under fire from their own members for a series of policy compromises.
U.S., Iran held secret talks on march to nuclear deal
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. and Iranian officials met secretly in such out-of-the-way places as Oman, using military planes, side entrances and service elevators to conceal their efforts to lay the ground for Sunday’s nuclear agreement.
Scotland names independence day for first time: March 24, 2016
LONDON (Reuters) – Scotland will become independent of the United Kingdom on March 24, 2016 if a majority of Scots vote to end their 306-year-old union next year, the Scottish government said on Sunday, naming its “date with destiny” for the first time…
Mass rallies in Ukraine against government U-turn on EU
KIEV (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of Ukrainians marched to President Viktor Yanukovich’s office on Sunday, denouncing a U-turn away from Europe and towards Russia in the biggest street demonstrations since the Orange Revolution nine years ago.
Iranians scent brighter future after nuclear deal
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranians welcomed a nuclear deal between their leaders and six world powers on Sunday, hopeful the easing of certain sanctions would go some way to ending their deep economic pain.
Iran nuclear deal seen reducing bomb risk despite Israeli criticism
GENEVA (Reuters) – A breakthrough agreement between Iran and six world powers to restrain its nuclear program has been denounced by Israel as an “historic mistake” but should nevertheless make it harder for Tehran to build any atomic bomb if it wanted …
Analysis: U.S.-Iran thaw starts to reshape Mideast power balance
DUBAI (Reuters) – An interim international deal on Iran’s nuclear program could tilt the balance of power in the Middle East towards Tehran after two years of popular revolts that have weakened leading Arab nations.
Mass protests in Ukraine against government U-turn on EU
KIEV (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, bearing EU flags and chanting “Down with the gang!”, marched through the capital on Sunday in a pro-Europe rally denouncing President Viktor Yanukovich’s U-turn in policy back towards Russia.
Iran’s Arab neighbours keep reservations quiet over nuclear deal
RIYADH (Reuters) – Iran’s Arab neighbors, deeply uneasy about Tehran’s diplomatic rehabilitation, kept their reservations quiet on Sunday after Iran reached a nuclear deal with global powers.