SKOPJE, Macedonia – Macedonia’s opposition leader has published what he says is new evidence of government vote-manipulation in three recent elections, following up on accusations of a massive wire-tapping scandal. Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev released what he said were recorded conversations between conservative government officials and Macedonia’s intelligence chief. …
Read More »Twitter users troll Gaza militant group after it launches AskHamas hashtag campaign
JERUSALEM – The Islamic militant group Hamas has launched a Twitter hashtag campaign to build support in the West, but the effort seems to be backfiring. Hamas, which rules Gaza, launched (hashtag)AskHamas on Friday. The campaign promised responses from the group’s leaders, or as they called it, “Truth from the …
Read More »Tunisia stands ready to discuss EU plan to base migration centers on its territory
BRUSSELS – Tunisia is open to discuss a European Union request to step up migrant reception centers in the country as part of a wider EU initiative to cope with an influx of asylum seekers. Tunisian Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday the EU plan “will …
Read More »Congo pushes back against UN peacekeeping force; says friction over 2 generals not its fault
UNITED NATIONS – Congo’s foreign minister says friction with the U.N.’s largest peacekeeping force over human rights violations by two Congolese generals is not his country’s fault, and he says the time has come for Congo to take full responsibility for its security. Foreign Minister Raymond Tshibanda addressed the U.N. …
Read More »2 newcomers seek to upset Spain's establishment parties in elections for Andalusia parliament
MADRID – Two fledgling parties that have shaken up Spain’s political scene were testing their voter appeal on Sunday in parliamentary elections in the unemployment-ravaged Andalusia region. The left-wing party Podemos party has links to Greece’s anti-austerity Syriza and hopes to replicate its rise to power. Podemos means “We Can.” …
Read More »Syria's opposition says it won't attend new round of Moscow peace talks in April
UNITED NATIONS – Syria’s main Western-backed opposition group says it will not attend the next round of peace talks in Moscow on the Syrian conflict. The Syrian National Coalition’s representative to the U.N., Najib Ghadbian, told reporters Wednesday that his group had been invited to the second round of Moscow …
Read More »Brazil's Petrobras fails to meet 2014 output target
SAO PAULO – Brazil’s state-run oil company says it failed to reach its year-end production target even though its daily oil output increased 5.3 percent in 2014. The oil firm Petrobras said in a statement late Monday that last year’s daily output was about 2 million barrels compared with 1.9 …
Read More »Algiers police struggle to stop over 1,000 rallying against Charlie Hebdo's Muhammad cartoons
ALGIERS, Algeria – Algerian police are struggling to contain more than a thousand protesters thronging the streets of the capital denouncing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Chanting “I am not Charlie, I am Muhammad,” protesters left their mosques after Friday prayers and gathered …
Read More »Bahrain activist Rajab jailed for 6 months over tweets, but can remain free pending appeal
MANAMA, Bahrain – Nabeel Rajab, one of Bahrain’s best-known human rights activists, was sentenced to six months in jail Tuesday after being found guilty of insulting government ministries on Twitter. Rajab can remain free on bail for now as he appeals his case, said his lawyer, Jalila al-Sayed. But he …
Read More »Students at new Guam high school break ground for new gymnasium
HAGATNA, Guam – Students at Tiyan High School will soon have a new multimillion-dollar gym. The school, which opened in August, broke ground yesterday on a new gymnasium, slated to open in September. Tiyan High currently has a gym, but the space is not adequate to serve a high school, …
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