ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Prospects for a free and fair general election in Pakistan next month are poor and a rigged result could lead to more instability and play into the hands of Islamist militants, election watchdog groups said.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The popularity of Dmitry Medvedev, anointed successor of Russian President Vladimir Putin, soared in an opinion poll released on Thursday. Medvedev was endorsed by Putin as his preferred presidential candidate on December 10 but he was already pulling away from other possible contenders, independent pollsters Levada said …

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese army investigators searched for clues on Thursday in the assassination of a top general who had been tipped to become the next army chief. Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, killed by a 77 lb car bomb on Wednesday, was a leading contender to replace army chief General …