Madagascar counts presidential election, economy at stake
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – Counting began on Friday in Madagascar’s presidential election which voters hope will encourage investors and donors to return to the Indian Ocean island, four years after a coup sent its economy reeling.
Rebels and Congo army clash; Rwanda says it was shelled
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Congo’s M23 rebels clashed with government troops for the first time in nearly two months on Friday, and neighboring Rwanda said Congolese army shells had landed on its territory, raising tensions in the v…
EU leaders rebuff calls for action on Europe’s migration crisis
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders rebuffed calls from southern European states on Friday for emergency action to tackle a wave of illegal migration from Africa despite the deaths of hundreds of people in Mediterranean boat disasters.
DNA tests show Bulgarian couple are parents of girl found in Greece
SOFIA (Reuters) – A Bulgarian Roma couple are the biological parents of a four-year-old blonde girl found in Greece last week, DNA tests showed on Friday, clearing some of the mystery around a case that has captured global attention.
Chile’s Bachelet eyes changes to land, water use rules
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean Presidential frontrunner Michelle Bachelet said on Friday she is mulling reforms of land and water-use rules, in the latest hint of what may be in store for the copper powerhouse’s crucial mining and energy sectors.
Egyptian police use teargas on protests in Alexandria and Suez
CAIRO (Reuters) – Police used teargas on Friday to disperse demonstrations by supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in Egypt’s second city, Alexandria, and in Suez.
Turkey, Iraq eye closer cooperation on Syria as relations thaw
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey and Iraq, both concerned by the rise of al Qaeda in Syria, said on Friday their strained relations were improving and they would cooperate more closely to limit the spillover from Syria’s civil war.
Eritreans protest in Italy as more migrants are rescued
ROME (Reuters) – Hundreds of Eritreans staged a symbolic funeral procession in front of Italy’s parliament on Friday to remember refugees who drowned in a shipwreck this month, as ships rescued more than 700 seaborne migrants overnight.
Czech left set to win election but new parties cloud outlook
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czechs went to the polls on Friday in an election that will swing the nation leftwards after unpopular budget cuts and graft scandals felled a center-right government.
Iran, powers to have expert-level nuclear talks in Vienna October 30-31
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Experts from Iran and six world powers will meet in Vienna on October 30-31 to prepare the next round of high-level talks on the contested Iranian nuclear program with hopes of a breakthrough rising thanks to a diplomatic opening f…
