BERLIN – The United Nations’ human rights chief says he is worried by the breadth and vagueness of new national security legislation approved last week by China’s legislature. Zeid Raad al-Hussein said Tuesday that the National Security Law “raises many concerns due to its extraordinarily broad scope coupled with the …
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ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s foreign ministry says Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet with his Indian counterpart on the sidelines of a summit in Russia. It’s a rare meeting for top officials from the rival countries. Ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said Thursday that Sharif will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi …
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BRUSSELS – The United Nations’ refugee agency says Greece is facing an “unprecedented” emergency as people fleeing war and poverty at home continue to stream into the country’s islands in huge numbers. The UNHCR said Friday that 77,100 people have arrived to Greece by sea at an average of 1,000 …
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BUJUMBURA, Burundi – A spokesman for Burundi’s military says government troops killed 31 suspected rebels and captured 170 others in fighting that has raised fears of a return to civil war in this central African country. Col. Gaspard Baratuza told a news conference in northwestern Cibitoke province that six soldiers …
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MADRID – The two main parties wanting Spain’s Catalonia region to break away from the rest of the country say they will run joint candidates in regional elections scheduled for September to avoid splitting the pro-independence vote, strengthening their chances of winning power. Convergence and Union, the party which has …
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PARIS – France’s Constitutional Council has ruled that a bill legalizing broad surveillance of terrorism suspects doesn’t violate the country’s constitution. Friday’s decision was the final step before the law can come into effect. The bill was proposed long before the January attacks in Paris by Islamic extremists, but the …
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TEHRAN, Iran – An Iranian news agency is quoting the lawyer of a detained Washington Post reporter as saying her client should be freed in the wake of the nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers. The report Tuesday by the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted defense lawyer …
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UNITED NATIONS – U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power is warning that “horrible attacks” on both sides in Burundi risk creating “a cycle of violence and a spiral of violence.” The capital Bujumbura has been hit by violence since April when the ruling party announced that President Pierre Nkurunziza would seek re-election …
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BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel says there’s no certainty the latest bailout for Greece will succeed but she is hopeful the country can overcome its economic crisis if it adheres to the agreements forged with its creditors. Merkel also told German broadcaster ZDF on Sunday that Greece can’t expect …
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LISBON, Portugal – In the run-up to an October general election, Portuguese labor groups are stepping up pressure for higher pay and better working hours, with police hinting they will stop handing out traffic fines. Police and nurses have staged numerous protests in recent years as the center-right government implemented …
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