Political prisoners routinely tortured in Uzbekistan: Human Rights Watch
ALMATY (Reuters) – Torture of political prisoners is widespread in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan, a Central Asian country courted by the West as a transit point for forces fighting in Afghanistan, the U.S. campaign group Human Rights Watch said in a report on F…
Swedish center-left leader says has support for government
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven said on Friday he was confident he could form a government and win support for a budget after this month’s general election, but he faces governing a weak minority coalition.
Portugal PM denies allegations of past financial impropriety
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho categorically denied on Friday allegations that he received improper payments more than a decade ago after the opposition argued the accusations were serious enough to threaten his job.
China’s communist party expels senior internet regulator for graft
BEIJING (Reuters) – A senior Chinese internet regulator has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party on graft charges, China’s top anti-graft body said on Friday, as it works to crack down on corruption in media and the internet.
Activists outraged over Cambodia-Australia refugee deal
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – Cambodia will resettle potentially hundreds of refugees intercepted trying to reach Australia in exchange for $35 million in aid, forging ahead on Friday with an opaque deal widely condemned as a threat to asylum seekers’ safety….
Spain and Morocco arrest militants ‘linked to Islamic State’
MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish and Moroccan police have arrested nine people suspected of belonging to a militant cell linked to Islamic State, including the leader of the cell, Spain’s Interior Ministry said on Friday.
Thai junta appoints reform council as part of plan for polls next year
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s junta approved on Friday a 250-member council to draw up political reforms and approve a new constitution, main steps in a military plan for a general election late next year.
Japan PM Abe says seeks better ties with China, South Korea, Russia
(Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants to improve relations with China, South Korea and Russia, while acknowledging difficulties facing ties with his country’s Asia-Pacific neighbors.
India, China agree to end Himalayan border face-off
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India and China have agreed to pull back troops ranged against each other on a remote Himalayan plateau, the Indian government said on Friday, ending their biggest face-off on the disputed border in a year.
Boko Haram ‘leader’, killed repeatedly, continues to threaten Nigeria
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, or a man claiming to be him, has been killed at least three times so far, according to the military, yet each time he apparently returns in the group’s numerous jihadist videos.
