Thousands of desperate Eritreans fleeing rights abuses: U.N. envoy
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Eritreans risk being shot to death by their own troops as they flee their homeland to start a treacherous journey seeking European asylum that killed hundreds of desperate refugees this month when their boats sank, a U.N. env…
Japan secrecy act stirs fears about press freedom, right to know
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is planning a state secrets act that critics say could curtail public access to information on a wide range of issues, including tensions with China and the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
U.S. monitored the phone calls of 35 world leaders: report
LONDON (Reuters) – The United States monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders according to classified documents leaked by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden, Britain’s Guardian newspaper said on Thursday.
Germany demands U.S. answers over Merkel bugging
BERLIN (Reuters) – An outraged Germany summoned the U.S. ambassador for the first time in living memory on Thursday over suspicions Washington bugged Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone, in the worst spat between the close allies in a decade.
Algeria’s Bouteflika to curb security service power: party official
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika wants to push through constitutional reforms before 2014 elections to put an end to the powerful intelligence service’s role as political kingmaker, the ruling FLN party’s chairman said.
Unrest rises in Tunisia after Islamists kill police officers
KEF, Tunisia (Reuters) – Tunisian security forces fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of people trying to storm a local government building as demonstrations broke out over the killing of seven policemen by Islamist militants.
Back to the bush: Dhlakama’s high-risk gamble in Mozambique
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At the age of 60, Mozambique’s former rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama is hiding out in the bush again, not backing down in a struggle between old foes that has donors and investors fretting about stability in the budding energy pr…
Israel says to announce more settlement building
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel said on Thursday it would press ahead with plans to build in existing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in an apparent bid to appease hardliners opposed to peace talks with the Palestinians.
Embargo fails to stop Ivory Coast illicit diamond trade: U.N. experts
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – An eight-year-old U.N. embargo has failed to stop the illicit production and trafficking of Ivory Coast rough diamonds that are continuously being smuggled out of the West African country and could be funding illegal arms pur…
South Africa’s Implats says mediator allows AMCU union to strike
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A government mediator has granted South Africa’s Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union permission to call a strike against Impala Platinum, the world’s second largest producer of the precious metal said on Thursday….
