News In Brief

Ex-Thai PM faces indictment
Afp, Bangkok

Thailand's attorney general has decided to prosecute former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, now the opposition leader, and his ex-deputy on murder charges related to a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in 2010, officials said yesterday.
About 90 people died and nearly 1,900 were wounded in the clashes between "Red Shirt" demonstrators and security forces in central Bangkok.

Iran bans reformist newspaper Bahar
Afp, Tehran

Iran's press watchdog has imposed a ban on reformist newspaper Bahar for publishing an article seen by critics as questioning the beliefs of Shia Islam, media reported yesterday.
Bahar has issued an apology note, saying publishing an article last week was an "unintentional mistake. Iran's Culture Minister Ali Janati said the daily had received earlier warnings before the ban.

Kirchner looses ground in vote
Afp, Buenos Aires

President Cristina Kirchner begins the final stage of her presidency weakened after setbacks in Sunday's mid-term vote, though her supporters held on to a majority in Congress.
The setback dashes any hopes of gaining a two-thirds legislative majority to re-write the constitution and allow her to run for a third term in office, as was once hoped.

'Islamists kill 35 troops in Nigeria'
Afp, Kano

Thirty-five bodies in military uniform have been brought to a morgue in Nigeria's restive northeast after a coordinated assault by Boko Haram targeting the security forces, a hospital source told AFP yesterday.
Sources said large numbers of Boko Haram fighters stormed police stations in Damaturu ensuing hours-long heavy figting. Boko Haram has repeatedly worn military uniforms as a disguise during attacks and it was not yet clear if the corpses were those of insurgents or troops.

Sudan conflict: Abyei votes to decide fate
Afp, Abyei

Residents of the flashpoint Abyei region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan were voting yesterday in an unofficial referendum to decide which country they belong to, a move likely to inflame tensions in the war-ravaged region, officials said.
More than half of the 65,000 registered voters have already cast their ballot in the three-day vote, he said.