Russia’s Putin says U.S. supports opposition protesters
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday accused U.S. diplomats of interfering in Russian politics by supporting opposition demonstrators, a day before a planned protest march in Moscow.
Analysis: Hezbollah tips Syria power balance, polarizes Lebanon
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese have long viewed the Hezbollah guerrilla army as a state-within-a-state. But having watched it launch a military adventure in Syria and brutality on the streets of Beirut, they feel ever more hostage to the Islamist group’s …
Bomb found under Italian diplomatic car in Tripoli
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – A bomb planted under an Italian diplomatic car in the Libyan capital Tripoli was discovered and exploded as police had cordoned off the area, diplomatic and security sources said.
Khatami, reformists back Rohani in Iran presidential vote
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian reformists led by former President Mohammad Khatami have endorsed Hassan Rohani, the lone moderate contesting Friday’s election for the presidency, held by hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the past eight years.
Sluggish Brazil economy erodes Rousseff’s popularity
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Growing pessimism over Brazil’s sluggish economic performance and rising inflation are starting to eat into President Dilma Rousseff’s still-high popularity ratings, an opinion poll showed on Tuesday, the second in a week to show t…
Mandela still ‘serious but stable’, security tightened
PRETORIA (Reuters) – Former South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela remained in a “serious but stable” condition in a Pretoria hospital on Tuesday after four days of treatment for a lung infection, the government said.
Libyan army chief urges rebels to join the army
BENGHAZI (Reuters) – The new head of Libya’s military on Tuesday called on armed groups to put themselves under the command of the national army, after clashes in which 31 people were killed, adding that patience was running out with the independent mi…
Nigeria offensive pushes 6,000 refugees into Niger: U.N.
LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigeria’s military offensive against Islamist militants in its northeast has forced more than 6,000 refugees – mostly women, children and the elderly – to flee to neighboring Niger, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.
Strike hits French airports until Wednesday
PARIS (Reuters) – French air traffic controllers walked off the job on Tuesday, grounding one flight in four across the country in a protest against EU plans to liberalize civil airspace.
Italy’s political charmers are stung by local polls
ROME (Reuters) – Sweeping wins for the center left in Italy’s local elections have sounded alarms for Silvio Berlusconi and Beppe Grillo, the charismatic figures who emerged as the big winners from February’s deadlocked national vote.