Iraq illegally detains thousands of women, tortures many: HRW
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi authorities are detaining thousands of women illegally and subjecting many to torture and ill-treatment, including the threat of sexual abuse, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Thursday.
U.N. chief opposes LGBT attacks as Sochi set to start
SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) – In the first address by a United Nations secretary general to an International Olympic Committee (IOC) session, Ban Ki-moon condemned discrimination and attacks on people based on their sexual orientation.
Sri Lankan forces may have destroyed evidence of mass killings-new report
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Government forces were behind most of the alleged war crimes in the final bloody months of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war and may have systematically destroyed evidence of mass killings, according to a new Australian report.
El Salvador top court orders probe of civil war massacre
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the country’s top prosecutor to investigate the alleged massacre of dozens of civilians in 1981 by army troops during the nation’s bloody civil war.
China criticizes Japan over comments doubting Nanjing massacre
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry has criticized remarks by a board member of Japan’s state broadcaster who said a massacre carried out by Japanese troops in China’s then-capital of Nanjing in 1937 did not happen.
China media slams Philippine leader comments on disputed waters
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese state media has slammed Philippine President Benigno Aquino over remarks that compared Beijing’s claims in the disputed South China Sea to demands for land made by Nazi Germany to the former Czechoslovakia.
Russia mocks U.S. envoy for meeting Pussy Riot; Power retorts
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power on Wednesday discussed “disturbing” trends in Russia with members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, prompting Moscow’s U.N. envoy to ask if she was joining the group.
U.S. freezes assets of Pakistan-based Haqqani militants
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration, under pressure from Congress to act against Pakistan-based militants blamed for fueling violence in Afghanistan, moved on Wednesday to freeze the assets of three suspected militants linked to the hard-li…
Egypt army chief Sisi says will run for president: report
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said he will run for president, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Thursday.
Syria misses chemical weapons handover deadline
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Syria on Wednesday missed a deadline to hand over all the toxic materials it declared to the world’s chemical weapons watchdog, putting the program several weeks behind schedule and jeopardizing a final June 30 deadline.
