Syrian al Qaeda group gives rival Islamists ultimatum
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The head of al Qaeda’s wing in Syria has given rival Islamist militants five days to accept mediation to end their infighting or face a war which “will terminate them”, according to an audio recording posted on Tuesday.
Libyan militias hit power plant with rockets, blackouts possible
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – More than 100 rockets fired by government-payrolled rival gunmen rained down on a Libyan power plant and electrical blackouts could result this summer, the country’s electricity minister said on Tuesday.
Swiss government warns a minimum wage threatens economy
BERNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – Introducing the world’s highest minimum wage would hurt Switzerland’s competitiveness and lead to job cuts, harming precisely those low-income workers it is designed to help, the Swiss government said on Tuesday.
Egypt’s new PM says to fight militancy, rebuild economy
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s new prime minister said on Tuesday he would seek to eradicate militant violence that has increased since the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, hoping improved security will lead to economic recovery.
India’s regional parties seal alliance ahead of elections
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India regional parties met on Tuesday to declare a political alternative to the two main national parties, the ruling Congress and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata (BJP), ahead of national elections due by May.
Toronto mayor says had been drinking, but feels ‘fantastic’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said on Tuesday that he had recently consumed alcohol, but not excessively, as he tries to get clean after admitting last year that he smoked crack while drunk and drove after drinking.
Putin critic Navalny jailed for seven days over protest
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was jailed for a week by a court on Tuesday for resisting arrest at a protest over the convictions of activists for attacking police at a 2012 rally against President Vladimir Putin.
Saudi police hurt by gunfire in Shi’ite village
RIYADH (Reuters) – Three Saudi security officers were wounded, one critically, by gunfire outside a police station in a flashpoint village in the mostly Shi’ite Muslim area of Qatif, the government said on Tuesday.
China charges prominent Uighur professor with separatism
BEIJING (Reuters) – Authorities in China’s restive far western region of Xinjiang have charged a prominent ethnic Uighur professor with separatism, his wife and lawyer said on Tuesday, in a case which has attracted concern in the United States and Euro…
Thousands fleeing Boko Haram find little comfort in Niger
DAKAR, Feb 25 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Gremah Umara was hoping for a refuge when he, his wife and their two-year-old daughter fled an Islamist militant attack on their village in northern Nigeria and headed over the border into Niger.
