EU says to review relations with Zimbabwe after election
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union will review relations with Zimbabwe given its “serious concerns” about the conduct of the southern African state’s election, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Thursday.
Turkey says all ‘red lines’ in Syria have been crossed
BERLIN (Reuters) – Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday “all red lines” had been crossed in Syria and criticized international inaction after the opposition accused Syrian government forces of gassing hundreds in a chemical weapons…
Germany urges access for U.N. to check Syria chemical attack reports
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle demanded on Thursday that Syria grant full access to United Nations chemicals weapons experts to investigate allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in an attack on civil…
South African labor unrest spreads, gold, construction strikes loom
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s labor unrest widened on Thursday as tens of thousands of construction workers prepared to down tools next week and unions in the gold sector also signaled their intention to call a strike over wages.
Thai court hands Iranian life sentence over botched bombing
BANGKOK (Reuters) – An Iranian man who blew off his own legs was sentenced to life in prison by a Thai court on Thursday for his involvement in a botched bomb plot that rocked Bangkok last year and brought condemnation from Israel.
Assange’s Wikileaks runs into Australian election troubles
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s plans to capture a seat at Australia’s September 7 elections were in disarray on Thursday after his top local candidate quit due to an internal fight over party organization.
New Zealand rights group blasts new law extending surveillance powers
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – A New Zealand civil liberties group denounced a new law permitting wider surveillance of citizens on Thursday, saying authorities were “buying into” the monitoring exposed by fugitive former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Sn…
France says force needed if Syrian chemical attack proved true
PARIS (Reuters) – France said on Thursday that the international community would need to respond with force if allegations that the Syrian government was responsible for a chemical attack on civilians proved true.
U.N. castigates Australia for treatment of 46 refugees
GENEVA (Reuters) – Australia must compensate and release 46 refugees whom it has arbitrarily detained and treated in a cruel, inhuman and degrading way, a U.N. human rights watchdog has said.
South Africa construction workers to strike from Monday: union
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers said its 90,000 members in the construction industry would go on strike from Monday over demands for higher wages.
