South Sudan rebels reject government plan to unblock peace talks
ADDIS ABABA/JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudanese rebels rejected a government plan on Wednesday to end a dispute over detainees and unblock peace talks aimed at halting violence that has killed at least 1,000 people in the world’s youngest state.
Central African leader faces pressure to quit at Thursday summit
N’DJAMENA/PARIS (Reuters) – Central African Republic’s interim President Michel Djotodia will face pressure to step down at a summit of regional leaders on Thursday amid frustration at his failure to quell his country’s religious violence.
Libya’s PM warns may sink oil tankers nearing east ports
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya may sink tankers trying to load at eastern ports seized by armed protesters in an escalating confrontation over control of oil exports, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said on Wednesday.
Turkish police purge reaches top ranks amid graft scandal
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s deputy police chief has been sacked, the most senior commander yet targeted in a purge of a force heavily influenced by a cleric accused by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of plotting to seize the levers of state power.
Tunisia seeks next IMF tranche as spending cuts spark protests
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s government, under pressure from protests over public spending cuts, said on Wednesday it had done enough to persuade the IMF to approve a $500 million loan tranche at meetings later this month.
Former SS soldier, 88, charged over 1944 village massacre in France
BERLIN (Reuters) – German prosecutors have charged an 88-year-old former member of Hitler’s elite Waffen SS of taking part in a World War Two massacre of hundreds of French villagers, nearly 70 years after one of the most infamous Nazi atrocities.
China takes propaganda war with Japan to United Nations
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – China took its propaganda war with Japan to the United Nations on Wednesday, questioning Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s motives for visiting a controversial war shrine and calling on him to correct his “erroneous outloo…
Al Qaeda group vows to attack Syrian rebels, opposition leaders
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An al Qaeda affiliate based in Iraq and Syria has vowed to crush opposition groups it has been confronting in the worst outbreak of infighting among rebels since the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
EU proposes sending military force to Central African Republic
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union officials proposed on Wednesday that the EU move quickly send troops to Central African Republic, either to the capital Bangui or the west of the country, diplomatic sources said.
Deposed Mursi misses Cairo court hearing after bad weather
CAIRO (Reuters) – The trial of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on charges of inciting murder of protesters was postponed on Wednesday until February 1 after officials said that bad weather had prevented him being flown to court.
