Rebels take northern Syrian town on main highway: activists
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamist rebels in Syria have retaken a town from President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, activists said on Friday, in part of an offensive along a stretch of the main highway linking Damascus to the northern city of Aleppo.
Austrian Jew to take restitution case to Europe rights court
VIENNA (Reuters) – A Jewish critic of Austria’s post-war record in returning property plundered by the Nazis plans to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights after receiving a jail sentence last year when his own restitution claim went sour…
New French government seeks confidence vote to save reform
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s newly formed government will seek a confidence vote from parliament on Tuesday, a step that would allow it to press ahead with President Francois Hollande’s business reforms to spur growth without having to risk a separate vo…
First candidate says to contest Lebanon’s presidential race
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese Christian politician Samir Geagea announced on Friday he will run for president in an election due next month, the first candidate to formally enter a race overshadowed by growing violence and months of political paralysis.
Union protest against unemployment turns violent in Brussels
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Protesters from across Europe clashed with police in Brussels on Friday at a demonstration against high unemployment, throwing stones and smashing windows as they marched from the city center to the European Union district.
Abducted Iranian border guards freed in Pakistan: lawmaker
ANKARA (Reuters) – Four Iranian border guards have been freed in Pakistan two months after being seized by al Qaeda-linked militants on the countries’ lawless frontier, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported on Friday.
West plans special court for Kosovo organ harvesting charges
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Plans are under way for a European Union-backed special tribunal to try Kosovo Albanian former guerrillas accused of harvesting organs from murdered Serbs during the Balkan country’s 1998-99 war, officials say.
Muslim leader endorses ruling party as religion rises in India election
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The imam of India’s largest mosque endorsed the ruling Congress party on Friday ahead of a general election, a boost for the beleaguered party expected to be defeated by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in nation…
Kenyan police quell unrest after Islamist shooting: witness
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) – Kenyan police fired in the air and unleashed tear gas to disperse scores of Muslim youths angered by the killing of a prominent Islamist in the port city of Mombasa this week, a Reuters witness said on Friday.
Spike in Iran executions seen politically motivated
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Within the small community of minority Arabs where he lived in southwest Iran, Hashem Shaabani was known as a teacher, an advocate for civil rights and a poet. But to the Islamic Republic he was seen as a threat.
