ENGLAND
Recession's grip tightens
Britain is suffering a far deeper recession than thought, official figures showed Wednesday in a development that is likely to increase the pressure on the government to ease up on its tough austerity approach. The Office for National Statistics said Britain’s economic output shrank by 0.7 percent in the April-June quarter, compared with the previous quarter. That was far worse than the 0.2 percent decline that economists had expected, and confirmed that the British recession has run into a third quarter. The statistics office said the quarter was likely depressed by an extra day’s holiday in June to celebrate the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
FRANCE
6 killed aboard helicopter
All six people on board a helicopter died Wednesday when it crashed in flames in an area often referred to as France’s answer to the Grand Canyon, officials say. Francis Mene, a defense official, said the helicopter crashed while carrying out a test flight in the Verdon Gorge in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in southeastern France. All six were employees of Eurocopter.
MALI
Torture claims emerge
Forces loyal to Mali’s coup leader are responsible for the disappearances of at least 20 people now presumed dead and for torture that includes sexual abuse, an international human rights group said Wednesday. Human Rights Watch said the missing soldiers allegedly were linked to a foiled countercoup attempt that took place in April, the month after Capt. Amadou Sanogo and his forces seized power in the western African nation.
VENEZUELA
Alleged kingpin deported
Authorities on Wednesday deported an alleged Colombian drug lord who is accused of smuggling cocaine to the United States and running Colombia’s biggest right-wing criminal gang. Diego Perez Henao, 41, was turned over to Colombian authorities along with seven other Colombians, Venezuela's justice minister said.
Compiled from wire reports.
