Assad may prevail in Syria’s civil war-Israeli minister
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, may prevail in the more than two-year-old uprising against him, Israel’s intelligence minister said on Monday.
Merkel ally admits mistakes on drones but refuses to step down
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, admitted mistakes on Monday in his handling of a botched deal for reconnaissance drones but said these shortcomings were no reason to resign.
Iranian hardliner drops out of election, narrows field for allies
DUBAI (Reuters) – A conservative former parliament speaker dropped out of the June 14 Iranian presidential election on Monday in a move to consolidate the hardline vote and lessen the chances of an upset favoring a moderate candidate.
Mubarak trial unseals new evidence on crackdown
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Egyptian court retrying Hosni Mubarak for conspiracy to murder hundreds of demonstrators unsealed new evidence on Monday, including CCTV video and logbooks taken from Cairo security forces’ armories.
France won’t recognize Madagascar vote unless candidates withdraw
PARIS (Reuters) – France will not recognize the results of proposed presidential elections in Madagascar until three candidates, including the interim president, withdraw from the process, foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said on Monday.
Qatari leaders expected to step down: sources
DOHA (Reuters) – Qatar’s powerful prime minister is preparing to step down as part of a wider power transition that may also see the country’s ruler ceding power to his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim, Arab and Western diplomats said on Monday.
IMF thinks Morocco is too hesitant over reforms, Prime Minister says
RABAT (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund has told Morocco it is too hesitant in implementing reforms to improve its public finances, Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane said, but he pledged to move ahead with planned subsidy cuts and other meas…
Mandela’s condition remains ‘serious but stable’
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Former South African president and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela remained in hospital for a third day on Monday with a lung infection and his condition was “serious but stable”, unchanged from the weekend, the government s…
UK’s Cameron defends spy agencies over PRISM cyber-snooping
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday Britain’s spies acted within the law following revelations the intelligence agencies had received data collected secretly by the United States from the world’s biggest internet companies.
Insight: Turkish troubles highlight cultural divide
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan stands before a sea of cheering faithful waving Turkish flags and, to shouts of “Allahu Akbar”, God is Greatest, summons the spirit of pious Ottoman poets in denouncing protesters who challenge his pow…
