Costa Concordia captain looks to spread blame for accident
GROSSETO, Italy (Reuters) – The captain of the Costa Concordia told a court on Monday that a junior officer who was at the wheel at the time shared the blame for the cruise liner disaster that killed 32 people last year.
France cleared the use of frozen funds to export food to Syria
PARIS (Reuters) – France has cleared the use of frozen Syrian bank assets to fund the export of food to the country as part of a European Union system that allows such funds to be used for humanitarian ends, a spokeswoman at the French trade ministry s…
Clashes in Guinea’s capital kill one, wound 50: government
CONAKRY (Reuters) – At least one person was killed and more than 50 wounded in Guinea’s capital in clashes between supporters of rival political parties, the government said on Monday.
Iran says 80 prisoners freed ahead of Rouhani’s U.N. visit
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian authorities have pardoned 80 prisoners ahead of President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to the United Nations in New York this week, Iranian media reported on Monday.
Crime makes Marseille springboard for French far-right’s ambitions
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) – Gangland killings in broad daylight on the streets of Marseille, and the apparent inability of authorities to do anything about it, have handed France’s National Front a dream springboard from which to launch its far-right…
Kenya’s economy seen resilient to mall attack, tourism apart
NAIROBI/MOMBASA (Reuters) – Security worries are nothing new in Kenya and so the country is unlikely to see long-term investors pull money out after the deadly attack on a Nairobi shopping mall, analysts say.
China’s Xi stamps authority on party with Bo verdict
BEIJING (Reuters) – With ousted senior politician Bo Xilai jailed for life, Chinese President Xi Jinping has stamped his authority on the Communist Party by effectively warning he will not tolerate dissent as he seeks to push through tough economic ref…
Uganda steps up security after Kenya mall attack: army
KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda, which like Kenya has sent troops to fight Islamist militants in Somalia, said on Monday it had stepped up security after a raid by Somali-linked gunmen on a Kenyan shopping mall that killed at least 68 people.
Iran to join six-power talks at U.N. this week: EU
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will join the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany later this week to discuss the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program, European Union foreign policy chief Cathe…
Tunisia’s Islamists resist proposal to step down
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s ruling Islamists rejected on Monday a proposal under which they would step down pending elections, a decision likely to deepen confrontation with secular opponents demanding their immediate resignation.
