Assad warns of retaliation as France builds case for Syria attack
PARIS (Reuters) – President Bashar al-Assad warned Syria would retaliate if France takes part in foreign strikes on his forces, while Paris said it had intelligence proving Assad had ordered chemical attacks and was determined to punish him.
Senegalese human rights campaigner appointed as justice minister
DAKAR (Reuters) – Senegal’s new Prime Minister Aminata Toure named a cabinet on Monday, putting a veteran human rights campaigner in the key post of justice minister, suggesting high-profile graft and rights cases were likely to remain a priority.
India’s parliament passes cheap food law for 800 million people
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s upper house of parliament on Monday approved a $20 billion scheme to distribute subsidized wheat and rice to 800 million people, backing an anti-malnutrition drive that investors fear will mean missing the fiscal deficit t…
U.N. envoy says military success an opportunity for Congo talks
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – The U.N. special envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes region said on Monday recent military successes by Congo’s army against eastern rebels should be used to relaunch peace talks.
UK’s ‘reckless’ Cameron pays political price for Syria vote loss
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron’s failure to win parliamentary backing for military action against Syria has hurt him politically, polls showed on Monday, with most Britons thinking him “reckless” and support for his party falli…
Afghan police deaths double as foreign troops withdraw
KABUL (Reuters) – Police deaths in Afghanistan have doubled this year after withdrawing NATO forces handed security of the war-ravaged country to poorly equipped local troops with less frontline experience fighting Taliban insurgents.
France says can’t act alone on Syria, wants to create coalition
PARIS (Reuters) – France aims to build a coalition of countries to back military action against the Syrian government in response to a chemical weapons attack in Damascus, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Monday.
French intelligence: Syria’s Assad behind chemical attack
PARIS (Reuters) – Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a “massive and coordinated” chemical attack in Damascus on August 21, according a French intelligence report shown to lawmakers on Monday, a government source said.
Pro-Syria hackers put anti-attack message on U.S. Marines site
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Computer hackers aligned with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad struck an Internet recruiting site for the U.S. Marine Corps on Monday, urging troops to “refuse your orders” if the United States attacks Syria.
Italy denies plans for Friends of Syria meeting in Rome
ROME (Reuters) – The Italian foreign ministry denied reports on Monday that the Friends of Syria group of nations would meet in Rome this weekend.
