RFE/RL

Top Pakistani Court Upholds Christian Woman's Blasphemy Acquittal

Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected a petition to review its decision to acquit a Christian woman at the center of a years-long dispute over blasphemy charges that included violent protests by Islamists.

U.S. Imposes Sanctions On State-Owned Venezuelan Oil Giant

The move followed the decision by Washington, and a growing number of other countries, to no longer recognize Maduro as the Venezuela's legitimate leader.

Facebook Announces New Ad Rules To Ward Off Election Meddling

Facebook says it is beefing up its rules and safeguards regarding political advertisements to "prevent foreign interference" in elections in Europe and elsewhere.

U.S. Officials Says Mideast Conference In Warsaw Not Against Iran

Senior U.S. officials say an international conference on the Middle East in Warsaw next month will not have an anti-Iran agenda.

NYT: U.S., Taliban Agree In Principle To Peace 'Framework,' Envoy Says

U.S. and Taliban officials have agreed in principle to the "framework" of a peace deal, The New York Times quotes U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad as saying after five days of talks between the militant group and the United States in Qatar.

World Marks Holocaust Day Amid Rise In Nationalist Rhetoric

Elderly survivors, politicians, and religious leaders have gathered at the former Auschwitz extermination camp as part of commemorations around the world to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day amid an upturn in hate crimes and nationalist politics.

The Art Of The Steal: Suspect Detained, Painting Recovered After Broad-Daylight Moscow Theft

A suspect has been detained in the theft of a 20th-century painting by a Russian artist from Moscow’s state-run Tretyakov Gallery and the artwork has been recovered, officials say.

U.S. Peace Envoy In Kabul After 'Significant Progress' Made In Qatar

U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is consulting with Afghan government officials following six days of talks with the Afghan Taliban in Qatar aimed at ending the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan.

U.S. Lifts Sanctions On Rusal, Other Firms With Links To Deripaska

The U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions imposed on three companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska have been lifted.

Iran To Face Japan In Asian Cup Soccer For Berth In Title Match

Iran’s soccer squad will face Japan on January 28 in the semifinals of the Asian Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Kremlin Casts Doubt On Report It Sent Military Contractors To Help Venezuela's Maduro

The Kremlin has cast doubt about a report that it has sent as many as 400 private military contractors to Venezuela to help embattled socialist President Nicolas Maduro strengthen security amid opposition protests and a competing claim to leadership by opposition head Juan Guaido.

Lawyer Says Australian-Based Population Expert Released From Iranian Detention

The lawyer for Meimanat Hosseini-Chavoshi says the Australian-based academic has been released by Tehran, which held her for more than a month on charges of trying to "infiltrate" Iranian institutions.

U.S., Canadian Jets Scrambled To Escort Russian Warplanes Away From Coastline

One Dead, 11 Hospitalized In Cafe Explosions In Russia’s Saratov Oblast

At least one person has been killed and 11 were hospitalized after two explosions at a cafe in Russia’s Saratov Oblast, local media report.

Pompeo Hails ‘Significant Progress’ In U.S.-Taliban Talks On Afghanistan

Hezbollah Warns Israel Of Combined Attack On Tel Aviv With Iran, Syria

Pompeo Calls On World To Stand With Venezuela's 'Forces Of Freedom'

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called on all United Nations members to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.

Almost 180 Russian Athletes Apply For Neutral Status

Russia's track-and-field federation, RUSAF, has received 177 applications from its athletes bidding to compete as neutrals in international competitions this year, Russian news agencies report.

CPJ Denounces Iranian Journalist’s ‘Unacceptable’ Prison Sentence Over Corruption Report

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned a five-year prison sentence recently imposed on Iranian journalist Yashar Soltani and called on Iran to stop persecuting journalists for doing their job.

U.S. Envoy Hails 'Significant Progress' In Talks With Taliban

The U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan says progress had been made in six days of discussions with the Taliban in Qatar aimed at bringing an end to Afghanistan's 17-year conflict.