Will the world’s hungry benefit from falling oil prices?
ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A slump in global oil prices has brought cheaper food to many of the world’s poorest, but from the slums of Manila to the fields of Malawi, the benefits are not universal.
U.S.-funded Afghan police payroll at risk of waste and abuse: watchdog
WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The United States is spending more than $300 million a year on Afghan police officer salaries despite a significant risk that the funds are being wasted and abused, a U.S. government watchdog said on Monday.
Vatican denies reports of attack warnings
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican denied press reports on Monday that it had received specific warnings from Israeli and U.S. intelligence services that it was a probable next target of an Islamist attack.
Trial resumes for Swiss ex-banker charged with giving data to Wikileaks
ZURICH (Reuters) – A former Julius Baer banker acknowledged that he passed confidential client data to WikiLeaks but argued his actions were not illegal, as his trial resumed on charges of breaching Swiss banking secrecy law.
Germany seeks to keep jihadi suspects from traveling for 3 years
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany plans to seize the personal identity cards of would-be jihadists for up to three years – twice as long as originally planned – in order to prevent them from joining militants in the Middle East, according to a draft law.
New Croatian president targets government over economy
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croatia’s new center president signaled on Monday she meant to hold the Social Democrat-led government to account over the economy, in comments that could herald months of tense cohabitation before a parliamentary election.
Police disperse protesters ahead of Congo parliament election debate
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Police fired tear gas on Monday at demonstrators trying to protest against a parliamentary debate on a proposed census in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s which, if approved, could delay next year’s elections.
Bad beer kills at least 69 people in Mozambique
MAPUTO (Reuters) – At least 69 people died over the weekend in Mozambique after drinking home-brewed beer, a local government official told state television.
Singapore court orders blogger to pay PM nearly $22,000 for legal costs
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A Singapore court has ordered a blogger to pay S$29,000 ($21,700) to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as legal costs after Lee won a defamation case late last year.
EU sanctions on Russia depend on Ukraine truce: Latvia
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The European Union will consider lifting sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis only if there is “real progress” in implementing a four-month-old ceasefire deal, Latvia’s foreign minister said on Monday.
