Solis elected as Costa Rica's new president: official
Political centrist Luis Guillermo Solis was elected president of Costa Rica in a runoff vote Sunday, becoming the first third-party candidate to win in decades.
Japanese parliament passes controversial secrets law
Japan's parliament on Friday adopted a law on protecting state secrets despite a public outcry, with strong opposition from the media and academics who fear it will infringe on the right to information and free expression.
White House steps up bid to thwart new Iran sanctions
The White House warned Congress Tuesday that passing new sanctions on Iran -- even with a delayed launch date -- would give Tehran an excuse to undermine an interim nuclear deal.
Swedish far right seeks to ban foreigners from begging
The far-right Sweden Democrats party on Wednesday proposed forbidding foreigners from begging in the country under penalty of jail time or expulsion.
New York ends Bloomberg era, elects liberal de Blasio as mayor
Voters in New York picked Bill de Blasio to be the city's first Democratic mayor in a generation, in one of a handful of elections seen as having considerable national importance.
First new political party formed in Turkmenistan in 20 years
A new political party was formed for the first time in Turkmenistan since the isolated ex-Soviet state won independence in 1991.
