South African activist scraps pact to challenge Zuma for presidency
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – Prominent South African activist Mamphela Ramphele has backtracked on a week-old pledge to run for president for the main opposition Democratic Alliance, frustrating the party’s push to win more black votes in an election just mon…
Kenyan port city again hit by riots over mosque raid
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) – Kenyan police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse Muslim youths rioting for a second day on Monday in protest against a raid on a mosque used by firebrand preachers in the port city of Mombasa, a Reuters witness sai…
Saudi Arabia to jail citizens who fight abroad
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will imprison for three to 20 years any citizen who fights in conflicts abroad, according to a royal decree released through state media on Monday.
UAE summons Qatari ambassador over Muslim cleric’s comments
DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates summoned the Qatari ambassador over what it called insults against the UAE made by an influential Sunni Muslim cleric in a broadcast from Doha, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.
Italy’s 5-Star Movement in bitter row over parliament speaker
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement faced strong criticism on Monday after attacks and online insults against the speaker of the lower house Laura Boldrini, who responded by branding her critics “potential rapists”.
Indian political parties vie over largesse before elections
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s political parties are unveiling populist measures in a competition to win over voters before a national election due in two months, even though the domestic economy is struggling to recover from the worst slowdown in a dec…
Al Qaeda breaks link with Syrian militant group ISIL
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s general command said on Monday it had no links with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), in an apparent attempt to reassert its authority over fragmented Islamist fighters in Syria’s civil war.
More parties back Algeria’s Bouteflika for new term
ALGIERS (Reuters) – More than two dozen Algerian political parties have given their support for a fourth term for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has yet to announce whether he will run again just two months before the election.
Thai protesters move to downtown Bangkok in bid to topple PM
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai anti-government protesters who have been camped out in north Bangkok packed their tents and marched downtown on Monday as they consolidated efforts to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a day after a disrupted general e…
U.N. seeks $2 billion for Sahel, fears donor fatigue
DAKAR, Feb 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The United Nations appealed on Monday for more than $2 billion to feed and care for a record 20 million people across Africa’s Sahel belt, but aid workers said they feared donor fatigue and a weak global reco…
