Reuters World News Highlights

TUNIS – Tens of thousands of Tunisians turned out on Friday to mourn secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid, whose assassination has deepened a political crisis and led to violent protests against the Islamist-led government.
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BAMAKO/GAO, Mali – French forces hunting Islamist rebels in northern Mali parachuted into a strategic town and took control on Friday, but a suicide bombing further south and the killing of two civilians by soldiers in the capital Bamako raised fresh security fears.
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GENEVA – About 5,000 refugees are fleeing Syria each day, seeking safe haven from war and its devastating impact on basic living conditions, the United Nations said on Friday.
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BRUSSELS – European Union leaders reached agreement on the first ever cut in their common budget on Friday after 24 hours of intense negotiations, seeking to placate millions at home struggling through government cutbacks and recession.
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BOSTON/NEW YORK – A blizzard blew into the northeastern United States on Friday, cutting short the workweek for millions who feared being stranded as state officials ordered roads closed ahead of what forecasters said could be record-setting snowfall.
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RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s Carnival celebrations cut loose on Friday, but the parades, block parties and overall festivities began under the pall of a recent nightclub fire that killed 238 people in the southern city of Santa Maria.