U.N. tribunal acquits Serbian firebrand Seselj of war crimes
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – U.N. judges acquitted Serbian nationalist firebrand Vojislav Seselj of war crimes and crimes against humanity on Thursday, a shock verdict that delivered a boost to his anti-EU Serbian Radical Party ahead of April elections.
Bahrain punishes opponents by revoking their citizenship
MANAMA (Reuters) – The decision to revoke Taimoor Karimi’s Bahraini citizenship was read out on state media late one night while he was fast asleep at his home in the capital Manama. His children woke him up to break the news.
Swedish domestic airport terminal closed off after suspicious package
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Authorities have closed off parts of the domestic terminal of one of Sweden’s biggest airports after the discovery of suspicious plastic bags nearby, police said on Thursday.
U.S., allies conduct 27 strikes against Islamic State: U.S. military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies conducted 27 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday, according to the coalition leading the operations’ latest daily attacks against the militant group.
French minister under fire for linking veil-wearing to slavery
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s minister for women’s rights came under fire on Thursday for saying Muslim women who wear veils were like black slaves in favor of slavery.
China says U.S. has ‘ulterior motives’ in award to rights lawyer
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Thursday the United States has “ulterior motives” in giving a bravery award to a disabled Chinese rights lawyer who said she was not allowed to travel to the United States to receive it.
U.N. envoy says Cambodia tensions near ‘dangerous’ tipping point
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – A U.N. human rights envoy on Thursday urged Cambodia to ensure judicial fairness and prevent threats and violence as political tension moves the country closer to a “dangerous tipping point”.
Ten arrested for banking irregularities worth 10 percent of Bosnia’s budget
SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Bosnian police arrested 10 people on Thursday suspected of criminal activities which cost the country’s banking sector around 123 million Bosnian marka ($71.2 million) or over 10 percent of the central government’s budget.
China says no need to ‘gesticulate’ over South China Sea plans
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Defence Ministry denounced as gesticulation on Thursday speculation it would declare an air defense zone over the disputed South China Sea, after the United States said it had told China it would not recognize one.
Russia says its military advisers took ‘direct role’ in plan to free Palmyra
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian military advisers played a direct role in planning the operation to liberate the Syrian city of Palmyra from the Islamic State militants, Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
