Bulgarian Socialists ahead of opposition despite protests: poll
SOFIA (Reuters) – The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has maintained its lead against the main opposition GERB party despite anti-government protests, an opinion poll showed on Tuesday.
Iraqi Kurdistan sets quota for Syria refugees: aid groups
GENEVA (Reuters) – The government of Iraqi Kurdistan has put in place an entry quota of 3,000 refugees a day to cope with an influx of Kurds fleeing the civil war in Syria, aid agencies said on Tuesday.
Russia’s former ‘grey cardinal’ denies new Kremlin role
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The architect of Russia’s tightly controlled political system denied on Tuesday he had accepted an offer to return to the Kremlin, according to a friend, a move that would strengthen liberals in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circl…
Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers escape Thai detention center
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A group of Muslim Rohingya asylum-seekers in southern Thailand escaped from an immigration detention center on Tuesday, highlighting the growing desperation of a stateless minority fleeing sectarian violence in Myanmar.
Cornered Hamas looks back at Iran, Hezbollah
GAZA (Reuters) – Stunned by turmoil in neighboring Egypt and starved of funds, the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is looking to repair damaged ties with its traditional Middle East allies, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah party.
Saudi border guards shoot Yemeni in border clash: tribal chief
SANAA (Reuters) – Saudi border guards killed a Yemeni man and wounded another on Tuesday when they opened fire on a group of Yemeni tribesmen who attacked construction workers building Saudi Arabia’s security fence on the border with Yemen, a tribal ch…
Bangladesh charges U.S.-based rights group with contempt
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh prosecutors on Tuesday charged Human Right Watch with contempt of court after the New York-based rights group criticized the conviction of a top Islamist politician on war crimes charges.
Britain rejects Spanish request for Gibraltar talks
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain rejected a Spanish proposal to hold one-on-one talks over the sovereignty of the contested British overseas territory of Gibraltar on Tuesday after Spain issued an appeal for such negotiations to be held “as soon as possible”…
Victims of domestic violence face uphill battle for protection in Russia
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Yulia endured three years of almost daily rapes and beatings before she fled her husband with her four children, living for the next year in constant fear he would find them.
Britain defends detention of Snowden writer’s partner
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Tuesday defended the detention under anti-terrorism powers of the partner of a journalist who has written about U.S. and British surveillance programs based on leaks by Edward Snowden, saying it had a duty “to protect the …