India’s main opposition party set to be biggest in election: polls
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The opposition Hindu nationalist party of Indian prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi is on course to emerge the biggest in general elections due by May, two opinion polls showed on Thursday.
Chile president-elect’s reform plans have broad backing: poll
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s president-elect Michelle Bachelet will embark on a second term riding a wave of popular support that includes widespread backing for her key policy proposals, according to a poll released on Thursday.
U.S. general sees increase in high-profile attacks in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Insurgents in Afghanistan are likely to increasingly embrace high-profile suicide attacks like the one last week that killed 21 civilians at a Kabul restaurant popular with foreigners, a senior U.S. commander said on Thursday.
Italy’s Grillo cries foul over electoral reform plans
ROME (Reuters) – Beppe Grillo, the former comic who leads Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, on Thursday hit out against plans to reform the country’s voting rules, describing them as tailor-made to block his party’s rise.
Iraq hangs 11 convicted of terrorism
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq hanged 11 people convicted of terrorist offences on Thursday, the justice ministry said, pursuing what a U.N. official has criticized as a “conveyor-belt of executions”.
Kenya orders audit to stamp out public payroll fraud
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s president on Thursday ordered an audit of the public sector payroll to end the practice of corrupt officials claiming salaries on behalf of “ghost employees” – workers who have died, retired or deserted their duties.
UK completes military cuts, says it remains worthy U.S. partner
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Thursday announced the final part of a plan to shrink its armed forces by around a sixth to save money, but said it could still project force globally and be a worthy partner to the United States on the battlefield.
Indian woman says gang-raped on orders of village court
KOLKATA, Jan 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A 20-year-old woman in eastern India was gang-raped by 13 men on the orders of a village court as punishment for having a relationship with a man from a different community, a senior police officer said on…
Clashes in Central African Republic as new leader sworn in
BANGUI (Reuters) – Two people were shot dead in Central African Republic on Thursday in a clash that highlighted the scale of the task facing new interim President Catherine Samba-Panza as she took the oath of office.
IAEA expected to win member state backing for expanded Iran role
VIENNA (Reuters) – Several countries are expected to voice readiness on Friday to help pay for the U.N. atomic watchdog’s expanded role in Iran to monitor a nuclear deal with six world powers, diplomats said, suggesting funding will not be a problem.
