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Wikinews Shorts: January 27, 2012

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From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!

A compilation of brief news reports for Friday, January 27, 2012.

If you believe any of these stories deserves more in-depth coverage, feel free to write a full article on the issues raised.

Medicins Sans Frontieres announces partial withdrawal over Libyan torture abuses

Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) have announced a partial withdrawal from Libya. The medical charity announced they will no longer work at Libyan detention centres due to facing treating torture victims in order to make them well enough to be further tortured. MSF General Director Christopher Stokes said: "Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions".

The United Nations estimates that some 8,500 former Gaddafi loyalists are being held by a number of unregulated, and unaccountable, armed groups.



Jagger tells World Economic Forum, "can't always get what you want"

Lead singer of The Rolling Stones Mick Jagger has withdrawn from the 'Great British Tea Party' in Davos, Switzerland.

Cutting short his visit to the 2012 World Economic Forum, as well as pulling out of Prime Minister David Cameron's event intended to promote UK creativity, Jagger complained of both "being used as a political football" and "comment[s] about my political allegiances which are inaccurate."



UK Prime Minister calls for European Union to be more competitive

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the UK Prime Minister David Cameron called on European Union leaders to be "bold" and "decisive" to boost growth and promote business.

Labeling a proposed financial transactions tax as "madness" he attacked "unnecessary" regulations on business, telling attendees that "Europe's lack of competitiveness remains its Achilles heel."



Coup in Papua New Guinea fails

A military coup in Papua New Guinea failed with the capture of at least fifteen mutineers. These supporters of deposed former Prime Minister Sir Michael Thomas Somare seized a military barracks, and the nation's military head, early on Thursday morning and demanded Somare be reinstated.

The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea previously ruled that Somare be reinstated, concluding that current Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was unlawfully appointed.



Australian Prime Minister rescued from protesters

During an Australia Day function, the country's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard — and the leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, had to be rescued after they were surrounded by as many as 200 aboriginal rights protesters at a Canberra restaurant.

The protesters, from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, appear to have been angered by Abbot's suggestion that it was time for the Embassy, now in its fortieth year, to come down.