Merkel’s chief of staff says U.S. spies did not break German law
BERLIN (Reuters) – Angela Merkel’s chief of staff said on Monday that fears of mass U.S. spying on Germans were unfounded, hoping to end a controversy that threatened to damage the chancellor as she seeks re-election next month.
Bahrain will ‘forcefully confront’ planned August 14 protests: PM
DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahrain’s prime minister said on Monday his government would “forcefully confront” protests called for later this week, and warned those behind planned demonstrations that they would be punished, state news agency BNA reported.
Islamist Nour Party to help shape new Egyptian constitution
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s Nour Party said on Monday it could join the assembly writing a new constitution, adding Islamist support to the military’s political transition plan following its overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi last month.
Algeria issues arrest warrants for former oil minister, others
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria has issued international arrest warrants for nine individuals, including former oil minister Chakib Khelil, the official APS news agency said on Monday.
Rwanda opposition party to sit out vote after late registration
KIGALI (Reuters) – Rwanda’s Democratic Green Party said on Monday it will sit out September’s parliamentary election after the electoral commission took three years to register it, finally doing so just days before the deadline.
Deadly Iraq bombings target cafe, school and playground
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – At least 16 people were killed and 41 wounded on Monday in a suicide bomb attack on a crowded cafe in Balad, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad, part of the worst wave of violence in Iraq in around five years.
Peru says top two Shining Path rebels killed in jungle shootout
LIMA (Reuters) – The Shining Path rebel group’s top two fighters are believed to have been killed in a shootout with Peruvian security forces in a drug-trafficking region of the jungle late on Sunday, President Ollanta Humala said on Monday.
Britain weighs legal action against Spain on Gibraltar
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain warned Spain on Monday it might take legal action to try to force Madrid to abandon tighter controls at the border with the contested British overseas territory of Gibraltar in what it called an “unprecedented” step against a…
Tunisia bombs Islamist militants in mountain hideouts
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia on Monday carried out air strikes on Islamist militants holed up in the Mount Chaambi area near the Algerian border, an army source said, stepping up a campaign against radical jihadis under pressure from the secular oppositio…
Turkish PM’s office denies reports Erdogan was hospitalized
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s office denied on Monday reports he had been hospitalized for a stomach condition in the past week, dismissing what it called “baseless allegations”.
