The runner-up in Mexico’s presidential election, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has demanded a full recount of the ballots due to "inconsistencies" at 113,855 of the country's 143,000 ballot boxes. "We have presented a formal request on behalf of the [leftist] coalition asking for a recount and counting the votes cast in the 143,000 ballot boxes installed for the presidential elections," campaign coordinator Ricardo Monreal said at a press conference alongside Lopez Obrador, as cited by AFP. The first official results from Sunday's vote showed that Lopez Obrador was dragging behind his opponent Pena Nieto with 31 per cent of the vote, against 38 per cent.
Romanian Constitutional Court says government threatening rule of law
Romania’s Constitutional Court has accused Prime Minister Victor Ponta and his leftist Social-Liberal Union (USL) of trying to dismantle the court after ignoring an earlier ruling. It also called on the president and the parliament to take action against the government’s planned measures, which, the court stated, “are blatantly against the constitution, democratic norms and principles of the rule of law.” Last week, Ponta ignored a court ruling stating that only President Traian Basescu was entitled to represent Romania at a European Council meeting, and traveled to the Brussels gathering regardless. Ponta also faces charges of plagiarism, though his government removed authority from an academic panel discussing the issue. Earlier, the Constitutional Court ruled that the USL-backed changes to the electoral law just six months before parliamentary elections were illegal. Romania has been embroiled in a power struggle between President Basescu, backed by the Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L), and Prime Minister Ponta. The latter came to power in May, riding on a wave of anti-austerity sentiment, but his rule has since been marred by a number of high-profile scandals. Ponta’s ally, former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, attempted suicide after he was sentenced to two years in prison for corruption.
Costa Concordia ‘black box’ malfunctioned – newspaper
The “black box” data recorder aboard Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that capsized off the coast of Italian island Isola del Giglio in January, was not working properly days prior to the accident, a report published by Corriere della Sera states. The “black box” stopped recording well before the ship was evacuated. The newspaper cited e-mails from the ship’s technical director to the maintenance firm in which the data recorder’s functioning problems were addressed. Costa Concordia officials had insisted that the equipment was working despite showing “error” messages. The Italian newspaper also reported that water-tight doors were left open and that unauthorized maps were found in the bridge. The Costa Concordia disaster, on January 13, left 30 people dead, though most of the more than 4,000 passengers were evacuated. Captain Francesco Schettino was arrested on charges of multiple manslaughter, and was subsequently additionally charged with failing to describe the scope of the disaster and abandoning incapacitated passengers. The disaster is believed to have occurred when Schettino attempted a near-shore salute, causing the ship to hit a reef and capsize.
Estonian court sentences ex-official to 16 years on espionage charges
Aleksei Dressen, a veteran police official working with Estonia’s Interior Ministry, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for supplying sensitive government information to a third party. The Harju County Court also sentenced his wife, Viktoria Dressen, to six years in prison for helping her husband carry out the crime. The court’s ruling did not state who received the documents, but prosecutors allege that the former security official was furnishing the papers to the Russian secret services, the FSB. Aleksei and Viktoria Dressen were arrested at Tallinn Airport in February as Viktoria was boarding a flight to Moscow. In 2009, a top Estonian security official was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for passing domestic and NATO secrets to Russia.
Rescue underway following RAF aircraft crash in Scotland
Two crew members have been retrieved by helicopter and taken to hospital following the crash of two RAF Tornados in the Moray Firth, Scotland. A major search and rescue operation is in progress, trying to locate another two personnel. The Ministry of Defense said the incident involved a pair of GR4s from Lossiemouth. It has been reported that one of the aircraft had been seen in the water and the other was classed as "missing."
Pakistan will reopen Afghan border routes to NATO - Clinton
The Obama administration says Pakistan is reopening its supply lines into Afghanistan after Washington apologized for the November killing of 24 Pakistani troops in a NATO airstrike. Clinton also said Pakistan won't charge a transit fee, the subject of an earlier negotiation.
Car designer Sergio Pininfarina dies
Sergio Pininfarina, whose family's company designed almost every Ferrari since the 1950s, has died, aged 85. Ferrari said Tuesday that he died overnight in his Turin home. Besides historic partnerships with Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati (all owned by Fiat), Pininfarina also designed cars for Rolls-Royce and other non-Italian brands.
Bahrain launches probe against 15 police over abuse claims
Bahrain has launched an investigation against 15 police officers over allegations of abuse of inmates. The probe follows 11 new complaints, according to Nawaf Hamza, head of a special investigations unit set up by the public prosecutor's office, as cited by AP. The unit was set up in response to recommendations by a commission authorized by Bahrain's Sunni Muslim rulers. They had ordered an investigation into the widespread unrest that erupted last year.
Yemen forces arrest 14 Al-Qaeda militants
Security forces in Yemen have arrested 14 Al-Qaeda militants, including nine foreigners, the defense ministry said on Tuesday. The militants were planning to target army and civilian leaders as well as foreign interests, Reuters said, citing the ministry. Those detained had reportedly been operating in three cells, the largest of which fought the army in the south of the country. Government troops last month drove Islamist militants out of several towns they held in the south.
Russia won’t participate in meeting of Friends of Syria group
Moscow will not participate in a meeting of the Friends of Syria group due in Paris next week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday. “The goal of this meeting is different - rather than the unity of the opposition on constructive grounds,” he said. Lavrov stressed that after the Geneva meeting on Syria “similar forums are no longer needed.” He said the Friends of Syria group has from the outset pursued the goal of supporting only one foreign-based Syrian opposition group.
Four ICC staff held in Libya to face internal probe in The Hague
Four International Criminal Court staff held for nearly a month in Libya face an internal investigation, the court said on Tuesday. Tripoli had alleged they shared sensitive documents with the jailed son of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam. Libya freed the staffers on Monday after the court’s president apologized for the incident. ICC officials in The Hague noted they need to conduct their own probe, AP said. The court said the detention of the four staff could have been the result of a misunderstanding.
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