Despair and dread grip Syrian refugees on election’s eve
ANJAR Lebanon (Reuters) – A little over a week ago, Syrian refugees began to notice men going around the camps in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, asking who wanted to vote for president and taking down names.
Chemical weapons team in Syria attacked but safe: OPCW
AMSTERDAM/BEIRUT (Reuters) – A team of international experts investigating the alleged use of chlorine bombs in Syria came under attack on Tuesday but all members of the team were safe and returning to base, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chem…
Dutch minister plans Saudi trip to avert trade sanctions
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans is to visit Saudi Arabia to ward off possible trade sanctions against the Netherlands prompted by anti-Islamic stickers distributed by far-right politician Geert Wilders.
Mandatory real-time tracking of airliners seen taking 2-3 years: U.N. official
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Global standards to track aircraft in real time may not be ready for two to three years, a senior official with the U.N. aviation agency said on Tuesday, although the process could be accelerated as airlines adopt voluntary mea…
Gunmen fire grenades at new Libyan PM’s home, one assailant killed: sources
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Unidentified gunmen fired grenades at new Libyan Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq’s home in Tripoli on Tuesday and at least one assailant was killed by his guards, sources from his office and a security official said.
Son of senior Shi’ite cleric sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH (Reuters) – A Saudi court on Monday sentenced to death the son of a senior Shi’ite Muslim cleric after he was convicted of shooting at security forces in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, local media said, in the first such ruling in three years.
Assad’s staying power leaves Turkey frustrated and exposed
ANKARA (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s certain victory in an election next month, derided internationally as a charade, leaves Turkey facing a bitter truth – its assumption of his quick demise was a costly miscalculation.
China breaks up another ‘terrorist gang’ in Xinjiang
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese police have broken up a “terrorist gang” in the restive western region of Xinjiang, the local government said on Tuesday, arresting five people conspiring to launch attacks with explosives, days after a deadly blast in the c…
Norway arrests three for aiding al Qaeda offshoot in Syria, joining as fighters
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway has arrested three people suspected of aiding an al Qaeda offshoot fighting in Syria, at least two of which are accused of having joined the militant group as foreign fighters, Norwegian police said on Tuesday.
Protesters burn vehicles, buildings at New Caledonia nickel mine
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Rioters torched vehicles, equipment and buildings at Vale’s nickel mine in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia over the weekend, as anger boiled over about a chemical spill in a local river.
