Japan empress ‘shocked’ at headlines of emperor’s wish to abdicate
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Empress Michiko, who turned 82 on Thursday, said she felt “shocked and pained” when she first saw newspaper headlines about her husband, Emperor Akihito, wanting to abdicate.
Jail term for former China ‘democracy’ village chief upheld
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A Chinese court on Thursday upheld a jail term for the former head of a southern Chinese village, once seen as a cradle of grassroots democracy, on graft and other charges.
Refocus of China’s anti-graft campaign means almost anyone a target
BEIJING (Reuters) – As the number of high-profile “tigers” caught in China’s crackdown on corruption falls, the ruling Communist Party has turned its fight to its most junior officials, meaning almost anyone is now a target.
Australia’s Crown says no charges laid against staff held in China
PERTH/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s top casino company Crown Resorts on Thursday said no charges had been laid against 18 staff detained for alleged gambling crimes in China, as shareholders gathered for a general meeting in the shadow of the legal cr…
Mexico seeks arrest of state governors caught in corruption rows
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico has ordered the arrest of an outgoing state governor in the ruling party suspected of corruption, as well as one of his opposition contemporaries, the government said on Wednesday, as it seeks to quell public discontent a…
Colombia sends long-awaited tax reform bill to Congress
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s government on Wednesday presented to Congress a tax reform bill that seeks to raise billions of dollars in the coming years to make up for lost oil revenue and preserve its investment grade credit rating.
Four-way talks move ahead on Ukraine, scant progress on Syria
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany and France pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend a pause in air strikes in Syria and halt the “criminal” bombardment of civilians, but said four-way talks aimed at ending violence in eastern Ukraine made some pro…
Iraqi couple wins U.S. award for daring missions to rescue Yazidis
NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Soon after Iraqi lawyer Khaleel Aldakhi and his wife heard the chilling news that Islamic State militants were enslaving Yazidi women and children in Iraq, they began plotting a rescue mission from their home in …
Kerry plays down Syria deal hopes as Russia joins Geneva talks
GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry played down expectations of a new Syrian ceasefire deal with Russia after talks in Geneva aimed at agreeing on how to separate al Qaeda-linked militants from opposition fighters in the be…
Kerry plays down Syria deal hopes as Russia joins Geneva talks
GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry played down expectations of a new Syrian ceasefire deal with Russia after talks in Geneva aimed at agreeing on how to separate al Qaeda-linked militants from opposition fighters in the be…
