Swazis vote in an election bound to keep king on top
NKHABA, Swaziland (Reuters) – For most Swazis, polling day serves only as a galling reminder of the entrenched poverty, inequality and suppression of human rights in a country run as King Mswati III’s personal fiefdom.
Pope message heralds change of tone on gays, abortion
VATICAN CITY/PARIS (Reuters) – A landmark interview by Pope Francis will force conservative members of the Catholic Church to re-calibrate how they deal with gays, abortion and contraception but is not expected to be the precursor to seismic changes in…
Merkel fights for majority in tight German election race
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel looked on track to win a third term in a weekend election in Germany but faced a battle to preserve her center-right majority and avert a potentially divisive coalition with her arch-rivals, the center-left S…
Russia’s Putin brings ‘grey cardinal’ Surkov back to Kremlin
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin named his former deputy chief of staff Vladislav Surkov as an aide on Friday, bringing back the creator of modern Russia’s tightly controlled political system just four months after he quit the government in …
Syria details part of chemical arsenal, more to come
THE HAGUE/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria gave details of some of its chemical weapons to the OPCW arms watchdog at The Hague on Friday but needs to fill in gaps by next week to launch a rapid disarmament operation that may avert U.S. air strikes.
Arrested cleric in Vatican scandal to go on trial on December 3
ROME (Reuters) – A prelate and former Vatican finance official at the center of a money-laundering investigation will appear in court on December 3, judicial sources said on Friday.
Ivory Coast to try ICC-wanted former first lady in Ivorian court
ABIDJAN (Reuters) – Ivory Coast will try former first lady Simone Gbagbo, who is being sought by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, in a domestic court, the government said following a special cabinet meeting on Frida…
Pakistan to free former Afghan Taliban No.2 Saturday
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan is to release former Afghan Taliban second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Saturday, yielding to years of calls from Afghanistan to free a man who it hopes could play a pivotal role in bringing peace to Pakistan’…
U.S. settles flap over Venezuelan president’s overflight
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States approved a last-minute flight plan for Venezuelan officials, the State Department said on Friday, after an irate President Nicolas Maduro said his jet was banned from flying over Puerto Rico on his way to China….
Fragmented opposition, Syrian government both hamper aid: agencies
GENEVA (Reuters) – Aid workers are having to negotiate with an increasing number of rebel sub-factions to organize delivery of aid to Syrian civilians, while the government continues to deny access to many areas, severely hampering their work, agencies…
