‘Harness the power of volunteers’, U.N. tells governments
NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Many governments are failing to harness the untapped potential of volunteers, ordinary citizens who can shine light on injustice and hold those in power to account, the United Nations said in a report on Friday.
Gang violence fuels child marriage in Central America, researchers say
BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Rampant gang violence and drug turf wars in parts of Central America are fuelling child marriage as girls seek to marry or couple with gang members and older men as a form of protection, researchers say.
Italy junior minister investigated in corruption probe
ROME (Reuters) – Italian prosecutors placed a junior member of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s government under investigation in a growing political corruption scandal over alleged fraud and contract rigging at migrant reception centers, officials said o…
Bangladesh and India to swap eighteenth-century border enclaves
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh and India will seal an agreement simplifying their 4,000-km (2,500-mile) border at the weekend, over four decades after the neighbors first tried to untangle complex territorial rights set down in 1713.
Iran rejects limited international access to military sites: agency
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran will not allow even restricted outside access to its military sites under any nuclear accord with six powers, the deputy chief of its armed forces said on Friday, reaffirming Tehran’s tough stance on the issue as the deadline fo…
Death toll from market blast in Nigeria’s northeast rises to 45
YOLA, Nigeria (Reuters) – The death toll from a suicide bombing at a market in the northeastern Nigerian town of Yola rose to 45 on Friday, authorities said.
EU envoys criticize suspension of BBC service in Rwanda
KIGALI (Reuters) – European Union ambassadors criticized on Friday the suspension of the local BBC radio service in Rwanda over a row related to a BBC program on the 1994 genocide, saying the suspension undermined free speech.
Elderly relative lashes out at Beijing’s handling of ship tragedy
JIANLI, China (Reuters) – An irate relative of two passengers missing aboard a Chinese cruise ship which capsized on the Yangtze River publicly accused the government of treating its people like enemies, as officials struggled to contain public anger o…
U.S. quietly starts channeling arms from $1.6 billion fund to Iraq
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has quietly started delivering promised arms for Iraqi soldiers from a $1.6 billion fund approved by Congress last year, officials said, following mounting Iraqi frustration over the pace of coalition assistance…
Dutch foreign minister to discuss MH17 prosecution in Russia
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders will discuss efforts to prosecute suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 while in Moscow on Friday, his office said in a statement.
