Top candidate’s running mate in Afghan poll claims fraud
AFP, Kabul
Afghanistan’s election commission is orchestrating “systematic fraud” following presidential polls last month, a top candidate’s running mate alleged Saturday, an accusation likely to inflame political tensions following the key vote.
The claims by Asadullah Saadati, a running mate for Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, come as the country is in the midst of an uneasy waiting period after the September 28 election.
Israel calls on Russia to ease tourist’s drug sentence
AP, Jerusalem
Israel said Friday it has asked Russia to show leniency to an Israeli tourist arrested on drug charges and has rejected an apparent swap involving a detained Russian national subject to extradition to the U.S.
Naama Issachar, 26, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison Friday after being arrested at Moscow’s international airport in April. She was flying back to Israel from India when she was detained during transit in Moscow after authorities found 9.6 grams of marijuana in her bag.
Pompeo talks religious freedom in Nashville speech
AP, Nashville
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday continued to raise the alarm about religious freedoms around the world, receiving a warm welcome in Tennessee as his department faced heightened scrutiny amid the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
The top U.S. diplomat said in a speech to a Christian group in Nashville that 80% of the world lives in areas where people are denied religious freedom.
Two dead as migrant boat sinks off Mexico
AFP, Mexico City
A small boat carrying African migrants off the coast of southern Mexico sank Friday, leaving two people dead and one missing, authorities said.
The boat was traveling off the southern border state of Chiapas when it listed to one side, pitching its occupants into the water, the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
