Ballooning Pakistan blasphemy charges engulf television stations
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s biggest television station said it was ramping up security on Tuesday after it became the object of dozens of blasphemy accusations for playing a song during an interview with an actress.
China concerned about suspected Boko Haram attack on workers in Cameroon
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was “highly concerned” that suspected Boko Haram rebels from Nigeria had abducted Chinese workers in northern Cameroon, and urged authorities there to step up protection for its citizens.
Renegade ex-general steps into Libya’s militia fray
ALGIERS/TRIPOLI (Reuters) – When a dispute erupted over dissolving Libya’s parliament last February, a former general dressed in full army uniform made a surprise television broadcast calling on the military to “rescue” the country.
Victorious Modi fights tears in first address to Indian parliament
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Narendra Modi fought back tears in an emotional first address to his party in India’s colonnaded parliament house on Tuesday, after the Hindu nationalist swept to power in an election that has changed the face of politics in the c…
End of mandate for EU’s Ashton raises questions over Iran talks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – As Iran and international negotiators work towards a July deadline to complete an accord with Tehran on its nuclear program, a practical issue may be on their minds: the looming changeover of the European Union’s foreign policy chi…
France delays Sahel counter-insurgency plan after Mali violence
PARIS (Reuters) – France has delayed plans to redeploy 3,000 soldiers to fight militants across West Africa, saying it first needs to help deal with a fresh outbreak of violence in northern Mali.
Lonmin fires 235 striking South Africa essential services workers
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African platinum miner Lonmin has dismissed 235 essential services workers who were on an unsanctioned strike and defied a court order to return to their jobs, it said on Tuesday.
Turkish miners down tools over disaster, eight suspects held
SOMA, Turkey (Reuters) – The main labor union in a Turkish town hit by the nation’s worst mining disaster called on thousands of workers to down tools on Tuesday at mines run by the same operator until the sites have been properly inspected.
Amid Egypt rights abuses, U.S. stalls over more military aid
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Despite resuming some military aid, the United States appears unlikely to quickly restore the close ties with Egypt that framed U.S. Middle East policy for decades, as concerns persist over the authoritarian crackdown since last …
Ukraine’s richest man urges peaceful protests against separatists
KIEV (Reuters) – Multi-billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man who owns factories across the troubled east, called on his employees to hold peaceful protests on Tuesday in defiance of separatists who plan to disrupt a May 25 presidential elec…
