South Africa’s ‘worst rapist’ hangs himself before trial
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A man suspected of being South Africa’s worst known serial rapist has been found dead in his prison cell hours before he was to go trial on charges that included sexually assaulting 34 children, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Exclusive: Syria’s war halves wheat harvest, erodes state share
AMMAN (Reuters) – Civil war in Syria has cut the wheat harvest to its worst level in nearly three decades and the government’s share of the crop is being further eroded as it struggles to procure grain from rebel-held farming areas.
Spain’s Rajoy declares three days of official mourning after train crash
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s Prime minister Mariano Rajoy on Thursday said he would declare three days of official mourning after a train derailed in the northwestern region of Galicia, killing at least 78 people and injuring up to 131.
Kuwait protest movement shifts focus ahead of election
KUWAIT (Reuters) – Late last year 25-year-old Kuwaiti activist Mohammad Qasem was taking part in mass protests against changes to the voting system almost every week ahead of a parliamentary election.
One dead, three seriously injured after Italy fireworks plant explodes
ROME (Reuters) – At least one person was killed and three were seriously injured on Thursday after a fireworks factory exploded in central Italy, the local fire service said.
North Korean leader Kim visits war graves before “victory” day
PYONGYANG (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided on Thursday over a commemoration at a war cemetery as the country prepares to mark the 60th anniversary of what is sees as its victory in the Korean War with defiance of old enemy the Unite…
Former Australian PM calls refugee camps ‘Gulags’; opposition eyes military fix
CANBERRA (Reuters) – A former Australian prime minister denounced offshore refugee detention camps as Soviet-style “Gulags” on Thursday and the opposition proposed empowering the military to stop boats of asylum seekers days before a national election …
China says military aircraft near Japan on training mission
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese military aircraft that flew through international airspace near Japan’s southern islands, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets, was on a routine training mission, China’s state media reported on Thursday.
European court says Russia’s Khodorkovsky case not political
STRASBOURG (Reuters) – A European court ruled on Thursday Russia had a legitimate case against ex-oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and business partner Platon Lebedev over alleged tax fraud, rejecting suggestions it had been political motivated.
Turkish teenager dies from stray bullets from Syria
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – A 15-year-old Turkish boy died late on Wednesday from injuries sustained last week when he was hit by stray bullets from Syria during clashes between Kurdish fighters and Islamist rebels near the Turkish border, hospital …
