Four election officials seized by gunmen in north Mali
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Five people, including four election officials, were kidnapped by gunmen in northern Mali on Saturday close to the town of Tessalit, army and local government sources said, ahead of a presidential vote next weekend.
Mali says separatists break peace deal after ethnic clashes
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali’s government accused northern Tuareg separatists on Saturday of violating a ceasefire deal signed last month after 4 people were killed in ethnic violence in the northern town of Kidal, a week ahead of elections.
Pakistani clerics ban women from shopping alone in northwest area
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – Clerics in northwest Pakistan have issued a temporary ban on women shopping unless accompanied by a male relative, a police official said on Saturday, in a step designed to keep men from being distracted during th…
Egypt ‘deeply worried’ by Nile water row with Ethiopia
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt said on Saturday it was highly concerned that Ethiopia had not responded to an invitation to discuss a dispute over a giant dam that Ethiopia plans to build on the river Nile.
Algerian army kills regional al Qaeda leader’s deputy: Ennahar TV
(Reuters) – Algerian special forces shot dead four Islamist militants, including regional al Qaeda deputy leader Abu Al Walid Tuhami, in an ambush on Friday night, privately owned television station Ennahar said on Saturday, citing unnamed sources.
Israel to free Palestinian prisoners for peace talks: minister
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel has agreed to a long-standing Palestinian demand to release Palestinian prisoners in order to resume peace talks, but will not yield on other central issues, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Saturday.
Six held over violence in France after police check veiled woman
PARIS (Reuters) – Six people were arrested after overnight violence that erupted in a Paris suburb after police checked the identity of a woman wearing a Muslim veil, French authorities said on Saturday.
Syria war widens rift between Shi’ite clergy in Iraq, Iran
NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) – The civil war in Syria is widening a rift between top Shi’ite Muslim clergy in Iraq and Iran who have taken opposing stands on whether or not to send followers into combat on President Bashar al-Assad’s side.
Five people sentenced to jail for Costa Concordia disaster
ROME (Reuters) – Four Costa Concordia crew members and a company official were sentenced to jail in Italy on Saturday for their part in the 2012 cruise ship disaster that killed 32 people, leaving only Captain Francesco Schettino still on trial.
China detains six over death of watermelon vendor: report
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese police have detained six security officials involved in a spat that led to the death of a watermelon vendor and sparked online fury over perceived abuses of power by city patrols.
