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.
Norway’s ruling Labor party on comeback trail as election nears, poll shows
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s ruling Labor party is making up ground on the center-right opposition, raising the prospect of a close parliamentary election on September 9, polls showed on Thursday.
Iran says Syrian government not behind possible chemical attack
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday the Syrian government could not have been behind a possible chemical weapon attack on the outskirts of Damascus as President Bashar al-Assad’s forces had the upper hand in…
Ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai denies one bribery charge against him
JINAN, China (Reuters) – Ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai denied on Thursday one of the charges of bribery against him, a court in eastern China quoted him as saying as he appeared at the start of his trial.
Assad’s forces bombard Damascus suburbs after gas attack: activists
AMMAN (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces bombarded rebel-held suburbs of Damascus on Thursday, activists said, keeping up pressure on the besieged region a day after the opposition accused the army of gassing hundreds in a chemical w…
Chinese court shows first picture of ousted politician Bo Xilai
JINAN, China (Reuters) – A Chinese court showed the first picture of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai in 17 months as he appeared at the start of his trial on Thursday.
