Preview: Iran election offers choice, but little change
DUBAI (Reuters) – Friday’s presidential election in Iran is unlikely to bring significant change to the Islamic republic, whose supreme leader has ensured hardline candidates dominate the field. But the sole moderate could yet upset the race.
Polish prosecutors get more time for CIA jail probe
WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish prosecutors have extended until early October the five-year-old criminal investigation into allegations that the CIA ran secret jails on Polish soil, a case human rights campaigners say the authorities are deliberately draggin…
Khamenei is erasing Iran’s presidency, Bani-Sadr says
VERSAILLES, France (Reuters) – Exiled former Iranian president Abolhassan Bani-Sadr accused Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday of using this week’s presidential election to weaken the office and cement his own power.
Pakistan tries anew to end insurgency in resource-rich Baluchistan
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has pledged to rein in human rights abuses by security forces in the huge, resource-rich province of Baluchistan as a first step towards starting talks to end a long-running insurgency waged by guerrillas seeking an indep…
Thai Muslims debate their future as peace talks raise hope
PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) – Huddled in a room on the periphery of a university campus in the southern Thai province of Pattani, Muslim students debate ideas that have long been considered inflammatory or even treasonous.
U.S. sanctions four Lebanese men, accuses them of aiding Hezbollah
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States imposed sanctions on four Lebanese citizens on Tuesday, accusing them of fundraising and recruiting for Hezbollah in West Africa, as Washington seeks to cut off sources of cash for the Lebanese militant group.
Sudan officially notifies it will halt oil exports
JUBA (Reuters) – Sudan officially informed South Sudan on Tuesday that it would freeze their oil and economic agreements and stop allowing its neighbor to export crude through its territory within two months.
Mali government, Tuaregs reach ceasefire deal ‘in principle’
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – A Malian government delegation and Tuareg separatist rebels have reached an agreement “in principle” that would allow planned elections in July to go ahead in the disputed northern Kidal region, a senior mediator in the talks sa…
Turkish police battle protesters after Erdogan warning
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish riot police using tear gas and water cannon battled protesters for control of Istanbul’s Taksim Square, hours after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan demanded an immediate end to 10 days of demonstrations.
Artists clash with Islamists at Egyptian culture protest
CAIRO (Reuters) – Artists and activists protesting against the influence of Islamists in Egypt’s culture ministry clashed with religious supporters of the president on Tuesday, leaving several people wounded, witnesses and officials said.
