Brotherhood leader, cleric get 20 yrs in jail
Cairo: A leader of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and an Islamist cleric were sentenced to 20 years in jail for attempting to kill and torture two policemen and leading a terrorist organisation.
Gunbattle in Yemeni capital
Sanaa: Yemeni soldiers traded gunfire with Shia Muslim rebels near a military base at the southern entrance to the capital Sanaa on Tuesday, residents said, hours after soldiers killed at least four Shia protesters outside the Cabinet building.
Karzai urges rival successors to unify
Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the country’s two presidential candidates to reach an agreement on a new national unity Government on Tuesday at a State function that devolved into raucous shouting by agitated supporters of candidate Abdullah Abdullah.
HK pro-democracy leaders shave heads
Hong Kong: To the sound of whirring clippers, Hong Kong democracy activists shaved their heads on Tuesday in a symbolic act of protest against China’s increased political control over the city.
UN: Greenhouse gas levels hit new high
Geneva: Surging levels of carbon dioxide sent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to a new record in 2013, while oceans, which absorb the emissions, have become more acidic than ever, the UN said.
Shark kills man despite rescue bid
Sydney: A man was killed in a shark attack on Tuesday at the popular tourist destination of Byron Bay on Australia’s east coast despite a beachgoer’s brave rescue attempt, police said.
Indian scientist gets 2014 Midori prize
Washington: An evolutionary Indian ecologist, Kamal Bawa has won the prestigious US $100,000 Midori Prize for biodiversity for his pioneering research, including in climate change in the Himalayas.
Suspected Ebola case reported in Italy
Rome: A suspected case of Ebola was detected in central Italy, a health official said.