Hassan Rowhani, the bearded cleric who is leading the pack in Iran's presidential election, is a moderate who has pledged to engage more with world powers in hopes of easing crippling economic sanctions. Rowhani, who headed Iran's nuclear negotiating team in the early 2000s under reformist...

Iraqi press freedom activists on Saturday decried the detention for more than 10 days of two journalists accused of stealing the notebook of the country's defence minister following a meeting of political leaders. Mohammed Fuad and Afdhal Jumaa are alleged to have stolen Saadun al-Dulaimi's...

Thousands of protesters are expected on the streets of Belfast to urge G8 leaders to act on global poverty, although the issue looks likely to be overshadowed by concerns over the Syria conflict. Police in the Northern Ireland capital expect 10,000 people to join two demonstrations organised...

Prison sentences for a Tunisian rapper and three European activists with women's protest group Femen have heightened fears among artists, journalists and rights activists that the Islamist-led government is rolling back civil liberties. Ala Yaacoub, better known by his rap name "Weld El 15",...