Police detain Russian mayor who left Putin’s party
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian opposition politician, whose election as a city mayor last year embarrassed President Vladimir Putin, was detained on Wednesday on corruption charges.
Russia wants whistleblower’s ex-boss jailed for nine years
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian prosecutor asked a court on Wednesday to sentence the British former boss of late whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky to nine years in prison in a tax evasion trial that has been criticized by rights groups and Western governmen…
Egypt’s army chief turns on the president who promoted him
CAIRO (Reuters) – When President Mohamed Mursi swept aside the ageing commanders of Egypt’s military a year ago and named a soft-spoken, deeply religious younger general to head the armed forces, it was a demonstration that the military was now subordi…
Insight: Libya starts facing up to Gaddafi regime’s sex crimes
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – The young woman introduced as “The Revolutionary” was breaking a taboo in Libya by speaking out about how she and other women had been raped by Muammar Gaddafi’s men in the early months of the country’s uprising.
Egyptian army secures state TV studios
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian troops were securing the central Cairo studios of state television on Wednesday, the head of state television and radio said.
Cuba denounces U.S. pressure over Snowden’s fate
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba denounced U.S. efforts to pressure Latin American countries not to give refuge to fugitive U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden and called on the international community to stand up to Washington’s bullying.
Egypt army meets with religious, other figures
CAIRO (Reuters) – The general command of the Egyptian armed forces is meeting with religious, national, political and youth figures, the army said on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, as a deadline loomed for President Mohamed Mursi to yield to …
Colombia peace possible by year’s end, President says
GENEVA (Reuters) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday an agreement with the Marxist FARC rebels to end their 50-year-old insurgency could be reached by the end of this year if there were “sufficient political will”.
Ex-Soviet states return people to torture in Central Asia: Amnesty
KIEV (Reuters) – Amnesty International accused Russia, Ukraine and the five Central Asian states on Wednesday of colluding in abductions and unlawful transfers of asylum-seekers and refugees back to Central Asia where they faced the risk of torture.
Suez Canal secured, unaffected by Egypt events: statement
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Suez Canal waterway is completely secure and the rate of ships passing through is normal, the head of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Memish said in a statement on Wednesday.
