News in Brief
More than 700 sentenced to prison over French riots: Minister
AFP – More than 700 people have been sentenced to prison over riots in France late last month, the country’s justice minister said Wednesday while lauding the fast-track trials that have alarmed some defence
lawyers.
In total, 1,278 verdicts have been handed down, with over %95 of defendants convicted on a range of charges from vandalism, theft, arson or attacking police officers.
UN slashes cash aid to Syrian refugees
AP – The UN food agency said Tuesday it will reduce monthly cash aid for 120,000 Syrian refugees living in two camps in Jordan because of what it described as an “unprecedented funding crisis.”
Jordan is a country of 11 million people and hosts some 1.3 million refugees from Syria. Most of them live in towns and cities across the kingdom, while several tens of thousands have settled in two camps — Zaatari and Azraq. Starting in August, the monthly cash allowance for camp residents will be reduced from $32 to $21, the World Food Program said.