Mali election marred by low turnout and voting abuses
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Low turnout and vote abuses marred Sunday elections meant to complete democratic transition in Mali, after a coup last year led to an Islamist takeover of the north that was crushed by French military intervention.
Afghanistan’s Karzai rejects elders’ advice to back U.S. deal quickly
KABUL (Reuters) – An assembly of Afghan elders endorsed a crucial security deal on Sunday to enable U.S. troops to operate in the country beyond next year, but President Hamid Karzai left the matter up in the air by refusing to say whether he would sig…
Scores killed as rebels battle to break siege of Damascus suburbs
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Fierce fighting to the east of Damascus has killed more than 160 people in the past two days as Syrian rebels struggle to break a months-long blockade by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, activists said on Sunday.
Italy president says Berlusconi must obey law, can’t pardon him
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s president on Sunday rejected Silvio Berlusconi’s call for a pardon over his conviction for tax fraud and told the center-right leader he must stay within the law in his protests if he is expelled from parliament this week.
Egypt’s government bans protests without police approval
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s president passed a law on Sunday making it illegal to hold demonstrations without the approval of the police and banning protests in places of worship, a move rights groups condemned as a blow to political freedom.
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.
