Europe
Italy try 22 CIA Agents on kidnap charges
Italy’s highest court of appeal has found 23 Americans, all bar one being CIA agents, guilty of kidnapping Abu Omar, an Egyptian cleric, in Milan in 2003. The prosecution alleged that he was then flown to Egypt where he was tortured. The Americans were tried in absentia and now currently are believed to be in the States where it is believed they won’t face extradition of serve their respective sentences. Despite this, they face a high risk of arrest if ever visiting Europe.
Legal complaint filed in Paris
A French satirical magazine has come under legal pressures after a legal complaint has been made against them following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The official complaint was lodged by a Syrian organisation that accuses the magazine for inciting hatred. Prosecutors in the French capital are now looking at the possibility of prosecution. After legal battles and an erupting unrest for a similar incident in Denmark, the police are bracing for protests across the country. It has also planned to close some of its foreign embassies.
Asia
India strike over market reforms
Opponents of the India government’s supermarket reform bill have begun protesting the change. The bill means the market will now open up over half the stake of multi-brand retailers to international firms such as Tesco and Walmart. The strike today is in effect across the country and was called by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party amongst others. It has meant the shutting down of schools, businesses and public transport. However, ministers say that the move comes as part of a series of stimulus reforms aimed to pick up a stagnating economy. It has been reported that The Prime Minister told his cabinet that, “the time for big bang reform has come; we have to go down fighting”.
Africa and Middle East
South Africa miners back to work
Miners finished their general strike on Tuesday and are due to return to work. The strike began over wages, where some miners claimed they were unable to feed their families. The strike has ended resulting in wage increase of up to 22%. During the strikes, clashes with police saw the bloodiest days of conflict since the years of the apartheid. In one clash police shot 34 protesters, which saw hundreds of miners arrested for murder on a common law basis. Although the charges were later dropped, an independent investigation is still going on within the police force.
North America
Fast and Furious: 14 face disciplinary action for botched gun-running operation
A US official has said that 14 people face legal action for their roles in a gun-running operation which went wrong. The Operation, called fast and furious, saw US officials lose track of hundreds of guns illegally sold in Arizona and allowed into Mexico to target dealers. The statement has come from a report published today by the US Justice Department, who also announced that the Attorney General Eric Holder was not criticised and some expected.
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