South Sudan’s Machar sets sights on presidency, challenges Kiir
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s former Vice President Riek Machar said on Friday he planned to become the frontrunner for the ruling SPLM party in elections in 2015, throwing down the gauntlet to President Salva Kiir who dismissed him three days ago.
Turkey warns Syrian Kurds against ‘dangerous’ moves
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey urged Syrian Kurds on Friday not to establish a break-away entity in northern Syria by force, with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warning against any “wrong and dangerous” moves that could hurt Turkish security.
Greek shipowner jailed pending money laundering trial
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek shipowner Victor Restis has been imprisoned pending trial on money laundering and embezzlement charges, court officials said on Friday, making him one of only a few prominent businessmen to be jailed amid public anger over corr…
EU wants to strengthen its fledgling diplomatic service
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s fledgling diplomatic service, which has faced criticism over its leadership and focus, should take a stronger role in drawing up sanctions and look at making its overseas posts more like embassies, an EU report…
Islamists rally to defend Tunisian government after assassination
TUNIS (Reuters) – Several thousand Islamists took to the streets of Tunis on Friday to defend the Islamist-led government from popular demands for it to resign over the assassination of a secular opposition politician.
Top Russian opposition leader appeals conviction ahead of Moscow vote
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s most prominent opposition leader and anti-graft blogger, Alexei Navalny, on Friday filed an appeal against his conviction and sentencing to five years in prison for embezzling funds from a state timber company.
Two killed in clashes during rival rallies in Egypt: agency
CAIRO (Reuters) – Two Egyptians were killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of ousted President Mohamed Mursi in Egypt’s second biggest city of Alexandria on Friday, Egypt’s MENA news agency reported.
Gangs have won parts of troubled Mexican region: president
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has said that organized crime has gained the upper hand in a violent part of the country, in unusually frank comments about the difficulties his government is facing to subdue powerful drug c…
Cat-and-mouse in Zimbabwe’s election cyber war
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s government has blocked mass SMS bursts ahead of next week’s election, hobbling a powerful source of non-official information in the tightly controlled southern African state, activists and a phone company source said on Fr…
Suicide bombs kill 39 near Shi’ite mosques in Pakistan
PARACHINAR/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up within a minute of each other outside Shi’ite mosques in a volatile Pakistani town near the Afghan border on Friday, killing at least 39 people, officials said….
