Chinese police detain activist ahead of U.N. human rights review
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has detained a human rights activist who helped stage a sit-in this year outside the Foreign Ministry to press for the public to be allowed to contribute to a national human rights report, her friend said on Monday.
Election risk rattles Italian government bonds
LONDON (Reuters) – Political instability put Italy’s bonds under heavy selling pressure on Monday after five ministers from former premier Silvio Berlusconi’s party stepped down at the weekend, increasing the risk of new elections.
Singapore civil servants told to show cards over casino visits
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Civil servants in Singapore will have to declare visits to the city-state’s two casinos under new rules intended to prevent incidents such as the recent case of a senior official from the anti-corruption watchdog charged with misa…
Egypt court upholds jail term for Mursi’s PM
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court upheld a one-year prison sentence against former Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, who was appointed by deposed President Mohamed Mursi, and the judge said he must now serve the jail term.
At least 13 drown in migrant boat off Sicily
PALERMO, Italy (Reuters) – At least 13 people on a migrant boat arriving in Sicily drowned close to the coast near the eastern city of Ragusa, apparently after trying to disembark from their stranded vessel, Italian authorities said on Monday.
Turkey may cut vote threshold, expand language rights
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey may reduce the threshold for a political party to enter parliament to 5 percent of the national vote, or even eliminate the barrier completely, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
Driving Iran’s change: Economic threats, strategic opportunities
DUBAI (Reuters) – Behind Iran’s overtures to Washington lie pent-up pressures for change – from sanctions and internal dissent to regional turmoil – that are shaping a rare chance to end decades of hostility.
China targets ‘degenerate’ former provincial leader in crackdown on graft
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will charge a former provincial leader with graft following accusations of illegally accumulating wealth and being morally degenerate, the government said on Monday, the latest move in its crackdown on corruption.
Malaysia faces backlash over push for tough new laws
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s bid to bring back detention without trial and toughen a range of other laws has triggered a backlash from civil society groups who call the move politically motivated and a major step back for human rights.
Austerity clobbers Portugal’s ruling party in local votes
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s ruling Social Democrats took a heavy beating in Sunday’s local elections as voters passed their verdict on national austerity measures accompanying the country’s 2011 bailout by international lenders.
