CA-NEWS Summary

U.S., Russia seek new Syria peace talks; rebels skeptical

MOSCOW/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia and the United States agreed to seek new peace talks with both sides to end Syria's civil war, but opposition leaders were skeptical on Wednesday of an initiative they fear might let President Bashar al-Assad hang on to power. Mindful the conflict may be far from over, Britain has urged fellow European Union states to lift an arms embargo, arguing it would strengthen those rebel groups favored by Western powers.

Kurdish rebels begin withdrawal from Turkey

SEMDINLI, Turkey (Reuters) - Kurdish militants began to withdraw from Turkey on Wednesday, pursuing a peace process meant to end a three-decade insurgency that has killed 40,000 people, ravaged the region's economy and tarnished the country's image abroad. Turkish security forces manned checkpoints along the mountainous border with Iraq, keeping watch as the agreed pullout started by the first small groups of up to 2,000 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters.

Bangladesh braces for unrest as judges prepare war crime verdict

DHAKA (Reuters) - A Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal is due to pronounce judgment on a top Islamist politician on Thursday, raising fears a guilty verdict could ignite a fresh round of clashes between members of his party and security forces. Bangladesh, reeling from a factory collapse that killed more than 700 people two weeks ago, is navigating one of its most turbulent periods since independence as a series of political conflicts converge ahead of elections due early next year.

U.N. team won't be deterred if North Korea rebuffs inquiry into abuses

SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.N. investigators will seek the cooperation of North Korea as part of an inquiry into allegations of widespread human rights abuses in the country but won't be deterred if Pyongyang refuses, the head of the investigating panel said on Thursday. Michael Kirby, an outspoken former justice of Australia's top court, was named this week as head of a three member team that will look into allegations of torture, food deprivation and labor camps that are believed to hold at least 200,000 people.

Pakistani prisoner dies in India after revenge beating

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - A convicted Pakistani militant jailed in India died on Thursday after being beaten by another inmate in an apparent revenge attack for the death of an Indian spy prisoner, threatening already fraught relations between the nations. The death of Sanaullah Haq, also known as Sanaullah Ranjay, came a week after an Indian farmer convicted of spying died in a Pakistani jail, which led to furious reactions in India, with opposition parties criticizing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government of going soft on its Western neighbor.

Bulgarian activists vow protests on election day

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarian activists vowed to take to the streets after elections on Sunday, furious about the likely victory of the party they forced out of office with demonstrations against corruption and high prices less than three months ago. An interior ministry spokeswoman said protesters had not informed police about their plans to rally after polls closed on election day, but the force would maintain public order.

Israel police hold Jerusalem Muslim cleric for six hours

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police arrested the top Palestinian Muslim religious leader in Jerusalem on Wednesday and questioned him for six hours about a fracas between Palestinians and Israelis at al-Aqsa mosque before releasing him without charge. Palestinian leaders and neighboring Jordan condemned the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem after Palestinian worshippers scuffled with Israelis near Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque on Tuesday.

Analysis: Race politics may stunt reforms after Malaysia election

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's racially divisive election result has sparked a battle within the country's ruling party that is likely to slow Prime Minister Najib Razak's drive to reform the economy and roll back policies favoring majority ethnic Malays. Najib's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition retained power in Sunday's election in the multi-ethnic Southeast Asian nation. But the coalition lost the popular vote and turned in its worst-ever electoral performance as it was heavily abandoned by the minority Chinese and rejected by many voters of all races in urban areas.

Suicide bombers target Iraqi Kurds in disputed areas

KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - Three suicide bombers attacked Kurdish security forces and the local headquarters of a Kurdish political party in a disputed oil-rich area of northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing three people, police and medics said. The attacks took place in a band of territory over which both the central government in Baghdad and the Kurds, who run their own administration in the north and are selling oil in defiance of Baghdad, claim jurisdiction.

Brother of blind Chinese activist says he was beaten up

BEIJING (Reuters) - The eldest brother of blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng said he was beaten up on Thursday by two men he said were government-hired thugs, which would mark a sharp escalation in harassment meted out to Chen's family. The treatment of Chen Guangcheng's family has received prominent attention from the United States in recent weeks and could cause further friction between Beijing and Washington over human rights.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-015437853.html

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