Sri Lanka drifting towards authoritarian rule: U.N. rights chief
GENEVA (Reuters) – Four years after it crushed a long separatist rebellion, Sri Lanka may be sliding towards an authoritarian system as President Mahinda Rajapaksa gathers power around him, the U.N. human rights chief said on Wednesday.
Deposed Honduran leader’s wife narrowly ahead in presidential race: poll
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – Leftist Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro, the wife of deposed former President Manuel Zelaya, appears to have a slight lead in the race to become the next head of the Central American country, according to a poll r…
Merkel allies talk tax rises in coalition overtures
BERLIN (Reuters) – Conservative allies of Germany’s Angela Merkel said on Wednesday they might agree to raise taxes to help lure the defeated center-left Social Democrats into a grand coalition that would keep the chancellor in power.
Israel, Palestinians agree to intensify talks, greater U.S. role
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to intensify their peace talks with greater participation by the United States, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.
At least 33 killed in violence across Iraq
KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) – At least 33 people were killed in attacks across Iraq on Wednesday that included a coordinated assault against local government and police buildings in the north of the country, police and medical sources said.
Kazakh oligarch’s family accuses Italian officials of kidnap
ROME (Reuters) – The family of a Kazakh oligarch accused of embezzling billions of dollars from his former bank filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday against unnamed Italian government officials accusing them of helping Kazakh diplomats kidnap his wi…
Senior judge killed in Russia’s Dagestan province
MAKHACHKALA, Russia (Reuters) – A Supreme Court judge in Russia’s North Caucasus province of Dagestan was shot dead along with his son on Wednesday, the second member of the court to be killed this year in a region beset by an Islamist insurgency and v…
Magnitude 7 quake strikes off coast of Peru, some damage reported
LIMA (Reuters) – A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off Peru’s southern coast on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and local media reported that some homes had crumbled in a region near the quake.
Senior judge wounded in Russia’s Dagestan province
MAKHACHKALA, Russia (Reuters) – A gunman gravely wounded a senior judge in Russia’s North Caucasus province of Dagestan on Wednesday, nine months after another member of the region’s highest court was shot and killed, police said.
Iranian leader’s smooth diplomacy poses new challenge for Israel
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A charm offensive toward the West by Iran’s new president and his nuanced approach to his predecessor’s Holocaust denial have run into an Israeli wall of suspicion hardened by Tehran’s nuclear pursuits.
