Civil war memories, oil wealth smooth Algeria politics
BOUMERDES, Algeria (Reuters) – With its president in a French hospital for over a month and the surrounding region in turmoil, Algeria looks from the outside to be on course for a period of unrest.
Egypt prosecutor orders trial for leading activists
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s public prosecutor ordered a group of political activists to stand trial on Wednesday on charges they incited violence near the Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters in March, a case that has hardened rights activists’ fears of a c…
French will accept pain for reform gain: survey
PARIS (Reuters) – Nearly three-quarters of French want President Francois Hollande to push further ahead with economic reforms and are ready to make personal sacrifices as long the pain is fairly distributed, a survey by pollster BVA found on Wednesday…
Advancing Malian army clashes with Tuareg rebels
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malian troops seized a village after heavy fighting with Tuareg separatists on Wednesday and are advancing towards the town of Kidal, the last rebel stronghold, the army said.
Felled ex-Beijing mayor, supporter of 1989 crackdown, dies
BEIJING (Reuters) – A former Beijing mayor, instrumental in the government crackdown on student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989 and later jailed for corruption, has died of cancer, state media reported on Wednesday. He was 83.
North Korea accuses South of bid to kidnap nine youths sent home
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea accused South Korean activists on Wednesday of trying to kidnap nine young people who the United Nations and South Korea believe were forced back to their homeland by China last week.
Swiss lawmakers put U.S. tax deal vote on ice
BERN/ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland’s parliament halted a bill on Wednesday that would let Swiss banks hand over client information to the U.S. authorities as part of a clampdown on tax evasion, saying it needed to know more about what the deal involve…
Pakistan PM Sharif sworn in, calls for end to drone strikes
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, formally elected by parliament on Wednesday, again called for an end to U.S. drone strikes aimed at militants which many view as a breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Nigeria orders 20-year jail term for Boko Haram support
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has declared the Islamist rebel force Boko Haram and splinter group Ansaru to be terrorist organizations, meaning anyone who supports them could face a 20-year-jail sentence.
U.S. soldier expected to plead guilty to killing Afghans in cold blood
SEATTLE (Reuters) – A U.S. Army sergeant charged with killing 16 Afghan civilians in cold blood was due in court on Wednesday for a court-martial proceeding in which he is expected to plead guilty under a deal with military prosecutors to avoid the dea…
