Croats set constitutional bar to same-sex marriage
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croats voted overwhelmingly in favor of defining marriage in the constitution as a “union of man and woman” on Sunday, a move initiated by Roman Catholic groups but criticized by opponents as discrimination against homosexuals.
Congo’s Kabila wants to conclude talks with rebels: statement
KAMPALA (Reuters) – Congo’s president wants talks with rebels in the country’s east concluded as soon as possible, Ugandan and Congolese statements said, although there was no sign of a breakthrough on the wording of an accord that scuppered a signing …
Protests show Putin the battle for Ukraine is not over
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Protests by hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine against their leaders’ U-turn over Europe have sent a warning to Vladimir Putin that the battle over the former Soviet republic’s future is far from over.
South Africans fume as Jo’burg road toll goes live
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s government launched a widely unpopular road toll around the economic hub of Johannesburg on Tuesday, a move likely to heighten tensions with its union allies and alienate some voters in the run-up to next year’s …
Scandal-hit Spain plummets 10 places in global corruption index
BERLIN (Reuters) – Spain has slumped 10 places to a rank of 40 in a global index of perceived official corruption after a spate of scandals in its ruling center-right ruling party and the royal family, watchdog Transparency International (TI) said.
Ukraine protesters urge general strike as markets hit currency
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian protesters blockaded the main government building on Monday, seeking to force President Viktor Yanukovich from office with a general strike after hundreds of thousands demonstrated against his decision to abandon an EU integr…
Thai police hunker down as protests rage
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Teargas, water cannons, rubber bullets, stun grenades that detonate with a bone-rattling thud – Bangkok protests have become much gentler.
Exclusive: Comrade of American held in N.Korea recalls friendship, stealth mission
(Reuters) – In early 1953, Merrill Newman and Allen Hedges were among a small group of U.S. servicemen hunkered down on a tiny, frequently shelled island off the west coast of North Korea.
Power outage plunges most of Venezuela into darkness
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s second massive power outage of the year plunged much of the nation into darkness on Monday night, prompting renewed talk of sabotage from President Nicolas Maduro’s government and cries of incompetence from its foes.
Hong Kong milkshake murderer loses appeal against second conviction
HONG KONG (Reuters) – American expatriate Nancy Kissel, who is serving a life sentence for the “milkshake” murder of her Merrill Lynch banker husband, lost a bid to appeal against her conviction in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
