Thousands who protested peacefully languish in Syrian jails: HRW
AMMAN (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people who peacefully demonstrated against President Bashar al-Assad are languishing in Syrian jails and are subjected to an apparent policy of torture, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Leader of Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn held in custody before trial
ATHENS (Reuters) – The leader of Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party was remanded in custody on Thursday pending trial on criminal charges, the first time an elected party chief has been put behind bars since a military coup nearly five decades ago.
Hundreds dead, missing as migrant boat sinks off Italy
PALERMO, Italy (Reuters) – More than 300 people drowned or were feared dead after a boat packed with African migrants caught fire and sank off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday, one of the worst disasters of Europe’s chronic immigrat…
Madagascar crowd burn two Europeans to death over “organ trafficking”
PARIS/ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – A crowd burnt two Europeans to death on a tourist island in Madagascar and lynched a local man because they suspected them of trafficking human organs after a dead child was found on a beach, police said.
Guinea opposition quits electoral commission, rejecting early vote count
CONAKRY (Reuters) – Guinea’s opposition parties pulled their delegates out of the national electoral commission on Thursday after rejecting some provisional results from Sunday’s parliamentary election, meant to cap a transition to democracy.
Syria rebels try to end infighting near Turkish border
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Six powerful Syrian rebel groups on Thursday demanded al Qaeda-linked militants and rival insurgents end clashes that have escalated infighting in a strategic northern border area.
Tunisian government and opposition to start talks Saturday: mediator
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s ruling Islamists and their secular opponents will start three weeks of negotiations on Saturday to allow the government to step down and make way for a caretaker cabinet until elections, a labor union mediating the talks sai…
New Russian pension reform fuels nationalization fears
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s government approved a pension system overhaul on Thursday that will give it tighter control over savings accumulated by private funds while reducing the burden of an ageing population on the state’s budget.
Plane crash near Nigeria’s Lagos airport kills 16
LAGOS (Reuters) – Sixteen people were killed when a small passenger plane crashed shortly after takeoff outside Lagos airport’s domestic terminal on Thursday, Nigerian authorities said.
French military prepares 2014 cuts, far-right seeks to benefit
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s military will cut almost 8,000 jobs next year, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday, detailing government belt-tightening plans that the far-right hopes will deliver it votes at municipal elections in 2014.
