Morocco, Western Sahara rebels talks end in deadlock Morocco and the Western Sahara rebel group, the Polisario Front, on Saturday ended more UN-brokered talks without making progress on the future of the disputed north African territory. “Each party continues to reject the proposal of the other as a sole basis for future negotiations,” UN special envoy Christopher Ross said at the end of the three days of talks at Manhasset, near New York. Algeria trade surplus surges to $14.8bn Higher world oil prices pushed Algeria's trade surplus up to $14.8 billion in the first 11 months of 2010 from $4.7 billion in the same period last year, official figures showed on Saturday. Exports were up 26.8 per cent to $51.27 billion from $40.44 billion in January-November 2009, while imports were up 1.9 per cent to $36.43 billion versus $35.76 billion in the first 11 months of last year, the official APS news agency reported, citing customs data. Man dies as Tunisian police open fire in clashes One civilian was killed and several others were injured on Friday when Tunisian police opened fire on protesters during clashes in a provincial city, official and trade union sources said. An interior ministry spokesperson said police in Bouziane, 240 km (155 miles) south of the capital Tunis, had been forced to “shoot in self-defense” after shots into the air failed to disperse scores of protesters. Lawyer rejects Swiss allegations on nuclear deals A lawyer for a family of three engineers, suspected of involvement in an alleged secret Libyan nuclear weapons program before being recruited by the CIA, on Friday rejected a Swiss judge's allegations against them. Federal judge Andreas Mueller in a report to Swiss authorities called for Friedrich Tinner and his sons Marco and Urs to be charged with violating a law on war material. UN-African Mission Voices Concern Over Ongoing Darfur Clashes The United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) voiced grave concern today over the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and rebel movements in the strife-torn region. “UNAMID calls on all parties to cease hostilities, which not only endanger the lives of innocent civilians but also further jeopardize the peace process,” the mission said in a statement. BM
