ICC judges reject prosecution request to open investigation in Afghanistan
International Criminal Court judges on Friday rejected a request by the court’s prosecutor to open an investigation into possible war crimes during the conflict in Afghanistan, citing a lack of evidence and a poor outlook for state cooperation.
Squatters occupy Venice homes in housing protest as tourism surges
Squatters are taking over unoccupied buildings in Venice in defiance of what they say are high rents forcing families out of the city as tourism takes over.
France guilty of abusing rights of homeless people: U.N. rapporteur
France is guilty of human rights abuses of homeless people and laws guaranteeing a home for all fail to protect the most vulnerable, a U.N. Special Rapporteur said on Friday.
Blackouts threaten death blow to Venezuela’s industrial survivors
The latest power outage kicked off another tough week for factory owner Antonello Lorusso in the city of Valencia, once Venezuela’s industrial hub.
Indonesia president leads in polls, as ballot tampering accusations probed
Five days ahead of Indonesia’s general election, President Joko Widodo retains a double-digit lead over his challenger, retired general Prabowo Subianto, three opinion polls published this week show.
Sudan protest organizers reject military council’s new announcement: statement
Sudan’s main protest organizing group on Friday rejected the transitional military council promise to set up a civilian government and hand over power to an elected president within two years.
Pakistan market suicide bombing kills 18, half of them minority Hazaras
A suicide bomb ripped through an outdoor Pakistani market on Friday, killing at least 18 people, half of them ethnic Hazaras, officials said, in an attack apparently aimed at minority Shi’ite Muslims.
Iranians march to protest at Revolutionary Guards blacklisting by U.S.
Thousands of Iranians carrying signs reading “I’m a Guard too” and “Down with USA” marched on Friday to protest against the U.S. designation of the elite Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization.
Fighting shakes Tripoli as thousands flee homes
Gunfire and blasts echoed through Libya’s capital on Friday as eastern forces fought troops of the internationally recognised government in southern Tripoli suburbs, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes.
Swiss set to back tighter gun controls, avoid EU clash: poll
Two of out three Swiss voters support tightening gun controls in line with changes to European Union rules, a poll released on Friday showed, potentially heading off a clash with Brussels.
