FRANCE 24 NEWS-World:Air France to slash thousands of jobs

Air France-KLM αναμένεται να απολύσουν μεταξύ 2.500 και 2.600 εργαζόμενους σε μια προσπάθεια να μειώσει το κόστος, ένας συνδικαλιστής ηγέτης δήλωσε την Τρίτη. Η εταιρεία προσπαθεί να μετατρέψει την Air France-KLM  σε μια αδύναμη οικονομικά, και την μετατροπή τις σε Έταιρεία χαμηλού κόστους.

My political career is over, Strauss-Kahn tells Russian TV

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in a Russian TV interview aired Wednesday that his political career was over and that he now advises global corporations. Strauss-Kahn resigned in 2011 after being accused of sexual assault.

Spanish train driver was 'on the phone' at time of crash

Data recorders from a Spanish train that derailed last week show the driver was on the phone and travelling at almost twice the speed limit, officials said Tuesday, adding that he braked only “seconds before" the crash that killed 79 people.

  HURRIYET DAILY NEWS

Turkey’s $50 billion jet programme raises questions

Turkish ambitions to build a fighter aircraft and buy scores of new generation, multinational combat F-35 jets from a US supplier may go beyond Turkey’s financing capacity, says Burak Bekdil in the Hurriyet Daily News.

  SWITZERLAND

Switzerland train crash due to 'missed signal'

Officials said on Tuesday that they believed a head-on train collision near the western Swiss town of Granges-pres-Marnand was due to an ignored signal. One of the trains’ drivers was killed in the accident and another 35 people were injured.

  ITALY

Italy’s top court deliberates Berlusconi tax fraud conviction

Italy’s highest court began hearings on Tuesday to decide whether former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi should be jailed and banned from public office for tax fraud, in a case involving his Mediaset media empire. 

 

- USA

US economy exceeds forecasts with 1.7% growth in Q2

The US economy grew 1.7% in the second quarter of 2013, well above the 1.1% GDP growth expected, according to a Commerce Department report released Wednesday. First quarter GDP figures were revised downward, however, to 1.1% from an initial 1.8%.

  CANADA

Railway company ‘can’t pay’ for Quebec train disaster

The railway company involved in a devastating train accident that killed 47 people and spilled crude oil in and around the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic said Tuesday that it did not have the funds to pay the $8 million clean-up bill.

  USA

Assange condemns Manning spying verdict

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has called Tuesday's conviction of whistleblower Bradley Manning on espionage charges a "dangerous precedent" and praised the US army private as "the most important journalistic source the world has ever seen".

  ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

Israeli-Palestinian talks aim for deal within nine months

The lead negotiators in a new round of Mideast peace talks, Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (right) and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat (left), agreed Tuesday to reconvene in two weeks with the aim of forging a deal within nine months. 

 

  AFGHANISTAN

Afghan civilian casualties up 23% in first half of 2013

Taliban attacks and clashes with insurgents have caused a 23% rise in civilian casualties in the first half of 2013, the UN said Wednesday, underscoring concerns over the ability of Afghan forces to provide security when NATO troops withdraw.

  TAIWAN

Rights group slams conditions at Taiwan iPhone factory

A labour rights group on Monday accused an iPhones factory of rights abuses, including withholding pay. China Labor Watch said Apple pledges on working conditions had been violated at factories run by Taiwan's Pegatron Corp. 

EGYPT

Egypt's cabinet orders police to end pro-Morsi sit-ins

Egypt's military-backed interim government has ordered police to end sit-in protests in Cairo by supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi, declaring them a threat to national security.

DR CONGO

UN gives DR Congo rebels 48-hour deadline to disarm

A UN statement issued Tuesday gave M23 rebel forces near Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo until 2pm (GMT) Thursday to disarm or face military action. The M23 launched a new offensive against the DRC's national army on July 14.

MALI - FRANCE

French soldier dies in Mali road accident

A French soldier stationed in Mali was killed when his jeep tipped into a ditch, France’s ministry of defence said on Wednesday, bringing the death toll of French soldiers in Mali to seven since operations began in January.