All About: Merkel's coalition party, UNHCR, British anti-terrorism, Google pulls Russian

Germany's two biggest and most established parties have had a torrid summer, blighted by infighting over immigration that is flaring up again after violent right-wing protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz followed the fatal stabbing of a German man, for which two migrants were arrested.

Support for Merkel's coalition parties hits record low: poll

Combined support for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance and their partners, the left-leaning Social Democrats (SPD), has hit a record low for any such 'grand coalition' government, according to a survey published on Sunday. Germany's two biggest and most established parties have had a torrid summer, blighted by infighting over immigration that is flaring up again after violent right-wing protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz followed the fatal stabbing of a German man, for which two migrants were arrested.

UNHCR says Tripoli facility ready to help refugees caught up in fighting

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Saturday recommended that thousands of refugees who escaped from detention centers amid clashes between militia in Tripoli be directed to a facility in the capital to help them to safety. The UNHCR recommended "the immediate use of the Gathering and Departure Facility in Tripoli, which will serve as a platform to find safety in third countries".

Rouhani: U.S. asks Iran 'every day' to begin talks

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that the United States continually sends messages to Iran asking it to begin negotiations. Tensions between Iran and the United States soared after President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May, and then reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last month.

Trump cuts $25 million in aid for Palestinians in East Jerusalem hospitals

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered that $25 million earmarked for the care of Palestinians in East Jerusalem hospitals be directed elsewhere as part of a review of aid, a State Department official said on Saturday. Trump called for a review of U.S. assistance to the Palestinians earlier this year to ensure that the funds were being spent in accordance with national interests and were providing value to taxpayers.

Anti-immigration party set for election gains as Sweden swings right

Swedes vote on Sunday in a tight election dominated by fears over asylum and welfare, with the populist, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats vying to become the biggest party in a country long seen as a bastion of economic stability and liberal values. Far-right parties have made spectacular gains throughout Europe in recent years following a refugee crisis sparked by the civil war in Syria and ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and parts of Africa.

Houthis not expected at Yemen peace talks, government leaving: diplomat, official

Yemen's Houthi group is not expected at U.N.-brokered talks in Geneva to end the country's three-year war and the Yemeni government delegation will leave on Saturday, a diplomat and a delegation official told Reuters. "There are no expectations the Houthis are coming," the diplomat said on Saturday. "The government delegation is leaving today," the Yemeni government delegation official said.

British anti-terrorism police help investigate Barnsley knife attack

British anti-terrorism officers were helping to investigate a knife attack in a northern English town on Saturday in which one man was injured, although police said they were keeping an open mind. A 28-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, they said, after what officers earlier called a "serious incident" in Barnsley which resulted in the man suffering minor injuries.

Rockets fired at Basra airport as violent protests grip Iraq

Basra airport was attacked with rockets on Saturday after another night of protests against Iraq's political elite, during which demonstrators set fire to the Iranian consulate and briefly took oilfield workers hostage. Iraq's second city has been rocked by five days of demonstrations, in which government buildings have been ransacked and set alight by protesters angry over political corruption. Protests first erupted in July over poor government services but intensified this week.

Google pulls Russian opposition leader's YouTube advert ahead of the vote

Google removed a YouTube advert by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after authorities complained that the videos would violate an election silence law before Sunday's vote for regional governors, an aide to Navalny said on Saturday. The series of YouTube videos featured Navalny inviting Russians to join demonstrations on Sunday when polls suggest President Vladimir Putin's former chief-of-staff Sergei Sobyanin will be comfortably re-elected as the capital's mayor.

Greek police fire teargas at Macedonia protesters

Thousands of Greeks protested in the northern city of Thessaloniki on Saturday over a deal with neighboring Macedonia to end a decades-old dispute over its name. Athens and Skopje reached a deal in June ending years of acrimony between the two countries over the name of the tiny Balkan state, but it has triggered a furious response from many Greeks.