Vatican denies pope is open to recognition of gay civil unions
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican on Sunday denied Italian media reports that recent comments by Pope Francis signaled his openness to the legal recognition of same-sex unions in Italy.
Anti-Roma bias, job fears aid far-right in central Europe
CIERNY BALOG, Slovakia (Reuters) – The people of this peaceful village at the foot of the Slovak mountains vented their anger by electing as their regional governor a man who calls his Roma compatriots “parasites” and admires a wartime figure who colla…
Sniper fire kills one as clashes flare in Lebanon’s Tripoli
BEIRUT (Reuters) – One man was shot dead and six people were wounded in clashes on Sunday in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli between districts that support rival sides in neighboring Syria’s civil war.
Czech police find 12 weapons at Palestinian mission: report
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech police found 12 weapons, including pistols and sub-machine guns, at the Palestinian mission in Prague after an explosion killed the ambassador at his residence last week, the police chief was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Pope to visit Middle East in May, meet Orthodox head
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis is to visit biblical sites in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories in May, his first trip to the Christian Holy Land as pontiff and only the fourth by a pope since biblical times.
Bangladesh ruling party set to win poll hit by violence, boycott
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League was poised on Sunday to win a violence-plagued parliamentary election whose outcome was never in doubt after a boycott by the main opposition party.
Thai protesters march again in bid to bring down government
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thousands of anti-government protesters marched through the Thai capital on Sunday, a prelude to a broader action next week when they say they will shut down Bangkok in their bid to scuttle a February election and topple Prime Minis…
Kerry says Iran could help on sidelines of Syrian peace talks
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The United States on Sunday appeared for the first time to hold out the possibility that Iran might play a role on the sidelines of a Syria peace conference even if Tehran is not formally invited.
Israel’s ex-PM Sharon clinging to life: doctors
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in a coma since a 2006 stroke, is clinging to life after his condition took a turn for the worse last week, the head of the hospital treating him said on Sunday.
Saudi plane makes emergency landing, 29 hurt
RIYADH (Reuters) – Twenty nine people were injured when a Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) Boeing 767-300ER made an emergency landing at Medina airport in the west of the country early on Sunday, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said.
