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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Muslim refugees trapped

in enclaves, group says

Muslims who fled violence in the Central African Republic are trapped in enclaves with "deplorable conditions" and fear attacks if they leave, Human Rights Watch said.

An estimated 1,750 Muslims are "desperate" to depart the makeshift camps in the country's west, the New York-based rights group said Monday in a statement, citing local leaders. U.N. peacekeepers and the interim government either prevent their flight to neighboring countries such as Cameroon or won't help with security when they try to leave, Human Rights Watch said.

Central African Republic has been gripped by violence since a coup by mostly Muslim Seleka rebels in March 2013. The takeover was marked by the widespread killing of civilians and other crimes, according to Human Rights Watch. Reprisal attacks followed against Muslims by mainly Christian fighters, known as anti-balaka. The U.N. in April said it was seeking to evacuate 19,000 Muslims who said their lives were threatened by Christian militias.     - Bloomberg
CANADA

Ex-porn actor convicted

A former Canadian pornography actor was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder in the 2012 killing and dismemberment of Chinese engineering student Jun Lin. The jury of eight women and four men returned the verdict in Montreal against Luka Magnotta after deliberating for nearly eight days. Magnotta has received an automatic life sentence for first-degree murder, with no possibility of parole for 25 years. - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
BRITAIN

Police: No hedgehog calls

British police Tuesday released recordings of frivolous emergency calls in hopes of deterring the public from clogging up help lines. One 999 caller (999 is the British version of 911) wanted police to deal with a hedgehog in his garden. Another asked for help getting a refund for a pair of shoes. "We want to ensure there are no delays in responding to an emergency call. Therefore we'll continue to urge the public to think before they dial 999," Diane Grandidge, from Greater Manchester Police, said in a statement.

- DPA

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