Six In The Morning

Leaders in Addis Ababa for AU summit

Huge celebrations taking place in Ethiopian capital to mark 50 years since the continental bloc was founded. Last Modified: 25 May 2013 09:01

African leaders have gathered to witness celebrations in Addis Ababa for the 50th jubilee of the continental bloc, with its many problems set aside for a day to mark the progress that has been made.

Mass dancing troupes were performing musical dramas on Saturday to about 10,000 guests in a giant hall in the Ethiopian capital, home to the African Union.

Today's 54-member AU is the successor of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), established amid the heady days as independence from colonial rule swept the continent in 1963.

African leaders were expected to be joined by Francois Hollande, the French president; Wang Yang, China's vice-premier; and John Kerry, US secretary of state.

Dutch cannabis cafe ban in doubt after trial run in Maastricht

Test implementation of plan to ban foreigners from buying and consuming cannabis degenerates into chaos

Peter Cluskey

Plans to ban foreigners from buying and consuming cannabis in the Netherlands’ famous “coffee shops” are in doubt this weekend after the test implementation of the ban in the southern city of Maastricht degenerated into chaos.

Maastricht was chosen to test the ban on “drugs tourists” from May 1st last year because its location on the borders with Germany and France means it attracts some 1.6 million visitors to its 13 city centre coffee shops every year – an influx the authorities say causes rowdiness and disruption.

The first blow to the proposed nationwide clampdown came last November when Amsterdam, whose 220 cannabis cafes are a major source of tax revenue, said it would ignore both the ban on foreigners and a new demand that even Dutch users should register for a wietpas or “weed pass”.

Suicide by Sequester: US Feels Pinch of Erratic Spending Cuts

By Sebastian Fischer and Sandra Sperber (video) in Washington

The pain of the sequester has been bearable thus far, but that will soon change. This summer, thousands of Americans will suffer due to cuts triggered by the entrenched budgetary battle in Washington -- and the damage could last for generations.

Despite being only 32, Alicia Tolliver has had no shortage of tough breaks in life -- a teen pregnancy, dropping out of school, unemployment and homelessness. Eventually, though, she found a resource in Head Start, an American health and human services program for young low-income children and their families. For Tolliver, Head Start served as a motivational program as well. She went back to school, completed a training course and found a job.

But then things went downhill again. With the financial crisis came unemployment and the loss of her apartment and car. 

Damning new report on EU's inaction over Israel

May 25, 2013 - 6:44PM

Ruth Pollard

The European Union had failed to hold the Israeli government to account over its continuing human rights violations against Palestinians, including the demolition of houses, water systems and critical infrastructure, a damning new report has found.

In a harsh assessment, a coalition of more than 80 aid and development organisations represented by the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) found that despite its tough talk, the EU had not effectively addressed the Israeli policies that create ‘‘unbearable conditions’’ for many Palestinians living in the West Bank.

A year ago, all 27 EU member countries committed to challenging the expansion of Israeli settlements and the increasing pace of the demolition of Palestinian property in an area of the West Bank known as ‘‘Area C’’.

25 May 2013 Last updated at 08:17 GMT

France begins first stage of Mali military withdrawal

France has begun the first major stage of its military withdrawal from Mali, four months after sending troops to push Islamist rebels out the north.

A convoy of lorries left a French base outside the capital, Bamako, on its way south to Ivory Coast.

France began withdrawing some of its 4,000 troops from the country in April.

They plan to gradually hand over to the Malian army and a UN peacekeeping force, which will deploy in July ahead of planned nationwide elections.

Saturday's withdrawal comes just two days after Islamist rebels targeted an army barracks and French-run uranium mine in neighbouring Niger, killing 21 people. French special forces helped Nigerien soldiers end a hostage siege at the barracks on Friday.

As Syrian war shuts down trade routes, Turkish business improvises

By Kevin Sullivan, Saturday, May 25, 7:51 AM E-mail the writer

ISKENDERUN, Turkey — The Nissos Rodos, a 630-foot ferry, once cruised the Greek islands, moving tourists from one sunny paradise to the next. Business dried up when the Greek economic crisis hit three years ago. But then came the war in Syria, creating new opportunity.

So now the Nissos Rodos is based here in southern Turkey, where it carries Turkish 18-wheelers filled with vegetables or textiles to lucrative Middle Eastern markets, allowing truckers to sail around war-ravaged Syria instead of driving through it.