Yemen Shi’ites capture key district from al Qaeda, 35 people dead
SANAA (Reuters) – Yemeni Shi’ite Muslim Houthi fighters backed by government forces drove the local wing of al Qaeda from one of its last strongholds in central Yemen on Friday in intense fighting that killed at least 35 people, tribal sources said.
Botswana gay rights group wins legal recognition
GABORONE (Reuters) – A Botswana judge overturned a government ban on a gay rights lobbying group on Friday, a rare victory for African gay rights campaigners on a continent where homosexuality remains highly contentious.
Obama says barring Suu Kyi from Myanmar presidency ‘doesn’t make much sense’
YANGON (Reuters) – Standing next to Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that the law barring her from becoming president “doesn’t make much sense”.
Mexican police play havoc with president’s security pledge
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Restoring order to a country torn apart by drug violence was Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s first promise when he took power two years ago, but corruption and police brutality have handed him the biggest crisis of his ru…
UK police open murder inquiry in child sex abuse investigation
LONDON (Reuters) – Police looking into accusations that powerful figures at the heart of the British establishment were involved in child sex abuse in the 1970s and 1980s said on Friday they were now investigating murder allegations.
Georgian president challenges PM to affirm pro-Western course
TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgian President Georgy Margvelashvili has weighed into a row that has split the government by urging the prime minister of the ex-Soviet state to improve governance, re-commit to European integration and challenge Russia’s thinki…
Zimbabwe ruling party suspends officials seen as Mugabe critics
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party suspended several senior officials aligned to Vice-President Joice Mujuru on Friday, weakening her position in an fierce battle to succeed ageing President Robert Mugabe.
EU hopeful Serbia hosts military drill with Russia
NIKINCI Serbia (Reuters) – Russian soldiers parachuted into open fields in western Serbia on Friday as part of an unprecedented joint military drill that has stirred controversy in the European Union candidate-country given the West-Russia standoff ove…
China anti-graft watchdog finds gold, cash in official’s home
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s anti-graft watchdog has discovered 37 kg (82 lbs) of gold, documents for 68 houses and 120 million yuan ($19.6 million) in cash in the home of a Communist Party official who is being investigated for corruption, state media …
Portugal main opposition extends lead on ruling parties in poll
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s main opposition Socialists extended their lead over the center-right ruling coalition for the second straight month after choosing a popular new leader before next year’s election, an opinion poll showed on Friday.
