Acid attack made life of Bolshoi ballet chief a misery: family
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet “destroyed everything” in his life and brought misery on him and his family, a relative told a court on Thursday.
Kenya tells Somalis to avoid rebel sites, hints at new strikes
NAIROBI (Reuters) – The Kenyan army warned residents in Somalia’s southern regions to stay clear of rebel militant camps and road blocks, hinting that new attacks against Islamist militants were imminent.
Turkish police fire tear gas as Kurds protest against Syria wall
NUSAYBIN, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish riot police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse Kurdish protesters demonstrating against government plans to build a wall along part of the border with Syria.
Swiss forensic experts to reveal findings on Arafat case on Thursday
GENEVA (Reuters) – Swiss scientists who conducted tests on the remains of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, whose widow Suha says he was poisoned by radioactive polonium, will give a news conference on Thursday on their findings.
Nigeria says needs Cameroon’s help to fight Boko Haram
YAOUNDE (Reuters) – Nigeria said it needed help from Cameroon to police their shared border as it seeks to win a drawn-out battle to crush Boko Haram Islamist militants, a Nigerian official said.
Exclusive: Iran offers to ship crude to India for free to boost sales – sources
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Iran is offering free delivery of crude to major client India, industry sources said, signaling that tough Western sanctions which have slashed its exports in half are driving Tehran to increasingly desperate measures to keep oil …
Striking South African union rejects Northam’s revised offer
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers has rejected a revised wage offer from Northam Platinum, the world’s fifth largest platinum producer, extending a strike by over 7,000 workers, a spokesman said on Thursday.
Ukraine parliament deputies squabble over Tymoshenko’s release
KIEV (Reuters) – Deputies in Ukraine’s parliament squabbled on Thursday about the release of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, but there were no signs of a breakthrough on an issue that is threatening landmark agreements with the European Unio…
Sunni Islamist group claims killing of Iranian prosecutor
DUBAI (Reuters) – Sunni Islamist Baluch militants claimed responsibility for killing an Iranian public prosecutor in revenge for a decision to hang 16 prisoners following a cross-border attack by the group two weeks ago.
Syrian army pushes back after rebels take large arms depot
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fought rebels in a small town 100 km (60 miles) north of Damascus on Thursday after video footage showed the opposition captured a huge weapons cache.
