UK pays $3.5m to settle Libya rendition claim - Africa - Al Jazeera English

UK pays $3.5m to settle Libya rendition claim - Africa - Al Jazeera English
A Libyan man who claims he was forcibly sent back home, along with his wife and children, in 2004 to face imprisonment and torture under Muammar Gadaffi's regime, has accepted a settlement of $3.5m from the UK government over its alleged role in his illegal rendition.
A British foreign office spokesman said: "We can confirm that the government and other defendants have reached a settlement. There has been no admission of liability and no finding of liability in any court."

Politkovskaya suspect to be tried separately - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Politkovskaya suspect to be tried separately - Europe - Al Jazeera English

A Moscow court has ruled against the relatives of murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, after they had requested that one of the accused, Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, not be tried separately from the rest of the defendants. Pavlyuchenkov is accused of helping track Politkovskaya's movements to assist the killers. The former police officer made a deal with investigators, confessing his guilt and revealing information about who ordered the crime in return for a closed court session and a sentence that can only be two-thirds the maximum punishment for such a crime.

Russia denies 'Syria regime falling' remarks - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Russia denies 'Syria regime falling' remarks - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Russia has denied that its deputy foreign minister said that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was losing control of his country. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday Mikhail Bogdanov did not say that "an opposition victory can't be excluded". The statement said Bogdanov was simply citing the stance of the Syrian opposition while giving a speech on Thursday.

Putin warns of foreign meddling in Russia - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Putin warns of foreign meddling in Russia - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has warned against foreign meddling in Russian politics and criticised opposition politicians of being in the pay of foreign interests. "Direct or indirect meddling in our internal political process is unacceptable," Putin said in his annual state of the nation address on Wednesday. Putin, who last year accused the United States of encouraging opposition protests and claimed foreign governments spend money to seek to influence elections, said Russians receiving money from abroad should be barred from politics.

Strauss-Kahn 'pimping charges' ruling delayed - Europe - Al Jazeera English

An appeals court in the northern French town of Douai has postponed a ruling on whether to annul pimping charges levelled against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former International Monetary Fund chief.

The charges are the last sex crime case against him in France.
The court, which was due to pass the ruling on Wednesday, set December 19th for the case known as the "Carlton affair" in France. It centres around allegations that business leaders and police officials in Lille operated a vice ring supplying girls for sex parties.

Hungarian MP denounced for 'Jewish list' call - Europe - Al Jazeera English

A call in the Hungarian parliament for Jews to be registered on lists as threats to national security has sparked international condemnation of Nazi-style policies and a protest outside the legislature in Budapest.
The parliamentarian, from the far-right Jobbik party, dismissed demands on Tuesday that he resign, however, and said his remarks during a debate on Monday had been misunderstood. Marton Gyongyosi said he was referring only to Hungarians with Israeli passports.

Court clears US airline over Concorde crash - Europe - Al Jazeera English

A French appeals court overturned manslaughter convictions against Continental Airlines and a mechanic for the July 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde that killed 113 people, ruling that their mistakes did not make them legally responsible for the deaths.
The crash hastened the end for the already-faltering supersonic Concorde, synonymous with high-tech luxury but a commercial failure.
The programme, jointly operated by Air France and British Airways, was taken out of service in 2003.

UN court acquits former Kosovo prime minister - Europe - Al Jazeera English

The UN Yugoslav war crimes court acquitted Kosovo's ex-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and two aides in a retrial on charges of murder and torture during the 1990s war of independence from Belgrade.
"The chamber finds you not guilty on all counts in the indictment," Judge Bakone Justice Moloto told the Hague-based court, ordering the men released.
Judges in the retrial ruled on Thursday that there was no evidence that Haradinaj and two accomplices had taken part in such a plan.
The court's public gallery erupted in cries of joy as the acquittals were announced.
The proceedings were broadcast live on a giant screen in the Kosovo capital Pristina, where Haradinaj is considered a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority who had high hopes of an acquittal.

France to support Palestinian 'statehood' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

"This Thursday or Friday, when the question is asked, France will vote yes," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced in the lower house of parliament.
The move recognises efforts made by Palestinian officials to establish a statehood bid for the occupied territory.

Russian mafia whistleblower found dead in UK - Europe - Al Jazeera English

A Russian businessman helping Swiss prosecutors uncover a powerful Russian fraud syndicate has died in mysterious circumstances outside his mansion in Britain.
Alexander Perepilichnyy had collapsed on a road early on the evening of 10 November, in the county of Surrey, southern England, in a chilling twist to a Russian mafia scandal that has strained Moscow's ties with the West.