Hundreds demand election boycott in Kazakhstan
Hundreds of Kazakhs rallied in their two main cities on Wednesday, calling for a boycott of June presidential elections that they dismissed as a cover for an orchestrated handover of power.
Putin expands list of on fast-tracked Russian passports for Ukrainians
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree expanding the list of Ukrainians and citizens of some other countries eligible for fast-tracked Russian passports, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Libya coast guard detains 113 migrants during lull in fighting
The Libyan coast guard has stopped 113 migrants trying to reach Italy over the past two days, the United Nations said on Wednesday, as boat departures resume following a lull in fighting between rival forces in Libya.
Algeria’s army chief of staff says military will keep country from violence -TV
Algeria’s army chief of staff said on Wednesday the military will ensure the country does not descend into violence, state TV said, as mass protests that prompted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit on April 2 continue.
Bahrain responds frostily to French call for dialogue with opposition
Bahrain’s foreign minister gave a frosty response on Wednesday after French President Emmanuel Macron urged the Gulf Arab state to resume political dialogue with the opposition.
Julian Assange sentenced to 50 weeks in British jail for skipping bail
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison by a British court on Wednesday for skipping bail when he holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy for seven years until police dragged him out last month.
Russia calls U.S. claim it told Venezuela’s Maduro not to flee part of ‘information war’
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday rejected a suggestion by Washington that it had persuaded Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro not to flee in the face of street protests, calling the assertion part of an information war.
U.S. military action in Venezuela is possibility if ‘required’: Pompeo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a television interview on Wednesday that the United States was prepared to take military action to stem the ongoing turmoil in Venezuela.
Austrian far-right sticks by ‘population exchange’ rhetoric
The head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party stuck to his guns on Wednesday over a racially charged claim that Austrians risk becoming a minority in their own country, straining relations in the ruling coalition ahead of this month’s European election…
Dutch court to hear case vs. Shell brought by widows of hanged Nigeria activists
A Dutch court said on Wednesday it has jurisdiction to hear a damages suit brought against Royal Dutch Shell by four widows of activists executed by the Nigerian government in 1995.
