Hungary’s Orban accuses Europe of ‘Soviet-style’ meddling
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary accused the European Parliament on Friday of resorting to Soviet-style methods that challenged the country’s sovereignty by passing a resolution deploring recent changes to the constitution.
Egypt’s army announces state of emergency in South Sinai, Suez
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s army announced a state of emergency in the provinces of South Sinai and Suez on Friday after Islamist gunmen attacked an airport in the Sinai town of El Arish, state newspaper Al-Ahram reported.
Vatican prelate accused of smuggling cash denied house arrest
ROME (Reuters) – A Vatican prelate detained on suspicion of trying to smuggle tens of millions of euros into Italy will remain in jail after an Italian judge on Friday rejected his request to be released into house arrest, judicial sources said.
Syrian crop risks threaten to worsen food shortages: U.N.
ROME (Reuters) – Four million Syrians, a fifth of the population, are unable to produce or buy enough food, and farmers are short of the seed and fertilizers they need to plant their next crop, the United Nations said on Friday.
Pakistan brings back death penalty, to anger of rights groups
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s new government, trying to appear determined to rein in escalating crime and militancy, has ended a ban on the death penalty, in a move condemned by international organizations as inhuman and retrograde.
U.N.’s Pillay concerned over detention of Muslim Brotherhood
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay said on Friday she was concerned by reports of the detention of leading members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, but stopped short of saying whether their overthrow this week constituted a coup d’eta…
U.N. rights team will visit Asia for North Korea inquiry
GENEVA (Reuters) – United Nations human rights investigators will go to South Korea and Japan next month to interview North Korean exiles about alleged crimes against humanity in the secretive state.
Australian navy rescues troubled boat as Indonesia, Australia talk refugees
SYDNEY (Reuters) – An Australian navy vessel came to the aid of a suspected asylum seeker boat in distress south of Indonesia on Friday, as leaders of the two countries met to discuss refugees, one of the key issues in Australia’s upcoming general elec…
Russian protest leader Navalny could face six years’ jail
KIROV, Russia (Reuters) – Russian prosecutors demanded a six-year jail sentence for protest leader Alexei Navalny on theft charges on Friday at a trial that he says is intended to sideline him as a rival to President Vladimir Putin.
Spain sees no reason to apologize to Bolivia in Snowden saga
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain said on Friday it had no reason to apologize after a plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales was diverted on suspicion that fugitive U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was on board.
