Britain fights slavery with tough new law as part of global battle
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Human traffickers may face life imprisonment under a British law passed on Wednesday to crack down on modern-day slavery, one of a raft of measures designed to lead the way in combating the $150 billion a year indu…
Greece fails in bid for early cash release, reforms awaited
BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece failed in a bid on Wednesday to secure a quick cash payment from the euro zone rescue fund to help stave off potential bankruptcy next month, raising pressure on Athens to deliver a convincing reform program within da…
Donors pledge more than one billion euros for Guinea-Bissau
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – International donors pledged more than one billion euros ($1.10 billion) for Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday to support a 10-year development plan aimed at giving the country a new start after prolonged political instability.
CAR farmers need seeds now, cheaper than more food aid later: U.N.
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Failure to provide farmers in conflict-hit Central African Republic with seeds to plant crops could worsen food shortages, displace more people and raise the cost of humanitarian aid, a U.N. official said on Wednes…
Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting
URZUF, Ukraine (Reuters) – The far-right Azov battalion, whose symbol resembles a black swastika on a yellow background, is preparing to defend the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine against a widely expected attack by pro-Russian separatist…
Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting
URZUF, Ukraine (Reuters) – The far-right Azov battalion, whose symbol resembles a black swastika on a yellow background, is preparing to defend the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine against a widely expected attack by pro-Russian separatist…
Pentagon silent on Iraq’s prediction of Tikrit air strikes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon declined comment on Iraqi President Fouad Massoum’s prediction on Wednesday that the U.S.-led coalition would soon carry out air strikes against Islamic State in Tikrit, saying the United States would not discuss fut…
Nigeria to close land, sea borders for Saturday election
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria will close its land and sea borders from midnight on March 25 until midnight on March 28 to ensure security ahead of what are expected to be hotly contested presidential and parliamentary elections, the foreign ministry said o…
EU urges quick restart to Israeli-Palestinian talks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union urged Israelis and Palestinians on Wednesday to quickly restart peace talks that collapsed last year, as the bloc’s new foreign policy chief seeks to reinvigorate European involvement in the negotiations.
Iran insists on lifting all sanctions in any nuclear deal: IRNA
DUBAI (Reuters) – Any deal over Iran’s nuclear program must involve the immediate lifting of all sanctions, Iran’s foreign minister said on Wednesday, showing no sign of compromise on a major hurdle in world power negotiations.
