British queen’s husband, 91, has operation on abdomen
LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Philip, the 91-year-old husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, is recovering in hospital after undergoing an exploratory operation on his abdomen on Friday, a royal spokesman said.
For Lyudmila Putin, solace now that first lady ‘shift’ is done
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Wearing a white veil and a simple long dress, Lyudmila Putin smiles softly from a picture snapped thirty summers ago, holding tight to the hand of a young KGB officer on their wedding day.
Iraq bomber hits Iranian pilgrims, at least nine dead
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A suicide bomber rammed his car into a bus carrying Iranian Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims in Iraq on Friday, killing at least nine people in an attack likely carried out by Sunni Muslim insurgents trying to ignite sectarian conflict.
Oscar-winning Azeri says will challenge Aliyev in presidential race
BAKU (Reuters) – An Oscar-winning screenwriter said on Friday that he would challenge President Ilham Aliyev’s decade-long rule over Azerbaijan in October elections, if the opposition names him as their candidate.
Hungary proposes legal changes to allay EU’s democracy concerns: minister
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary is ready to tweak its constitution to allay European Union criticism that new laws undermine democracy, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday.
Greek PM: extremism will fade once employment picks up
HELSINKI (Reuters) – Support for Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party will fade once the economy recovers and unemployment declines, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Friday.
Malian army and rebels accused of rights abuses ahead of talks
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Rights groups on Friday accused Mali’s army and Tuareg separatist rebels of torturing and killing civilians despite the presence of France’s military, hours before peace talks between the two sides were due to begin.
Former dental hygienist says she had “true love” for Berlusconi
MILAN (Reuters) – A former dental hygienist accused of procuring a minor for paid sex with Silvio Berlusconi rejected the charge on Friday and said her relationship with the 76-year-old media billionaire had been based on “true love”.
Bolivia frees seven Brazilian soccer fans, holds five over boy’s death
La PAZ (Reuters) – A Bolivian judge has freed seven of the 12 Brazilian soccer fans held since February as part of an investigation into the death of a Bolivian boy from a flare allegedly launched by supporters of Brazil’s Corinthians soccer club.
Analysis: Golan fighting spells more Syria trouble for Israel
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Brush fires from stray mortar bombs were still ablaze on the occupied Golan Heights on Friday as Israeli farmers returned to their fields, a day after battles in Syria’s civil war reached a U.N.-manned border crossing.
