Rouble fall, sanctions hurt Russia’s economy: Medvedev
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The weakness of the rouble is hurting Russia, which has lost tens of billions of dollars because of sanctions imposed by the West in the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday.
Middle East funds Gambia as EU cuts aid over human rights concerns
DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The European Union has withdrawn millions of euros of funding for Gambia due to its poor human rights record, leaving the mainly Muslim West African nation to rely increasingly on donors from the Middle East for dev…
Nigeria opposition meets to pick candidate against Jonathan
LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigeria’s main opposition coalition began a convention on Wednesday to select a candidate to take on President Goodluck Jonathan in February, in what will be the most closely fought election since the end of military rule in 1999.
Chechens loyal to Russia fight alongside east Ukraine rebels
OUTSIDE OF DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest), dozens of armed men in camouflage uniforms from Russia’s republic of Chechnya train in snow in a camp in the rebel-held east Ukraine.
Airlines body calls for U.N. to regulate anti-aircraft weaponry
GENEVA (Reuters) – Global airlines body IATA has called on the UN to regulate anti-aircraft weaponry in a similar way to chemical weapons following the shooting down of a commercial airliner over Ukraine earlier this year.
China rights lawyer denies all accusations, including inciting ethnic hatred
BEIJING (Reuters) – A prominent Chinese human rights lawyer has denied serious accusations, including that he incited “ethnic hatred” and separatism, charges which could lead to life in jail, his lawyers said on Wednesday.
Philippine blast that killed 10 aimed at derailing peace deal, say army officials
MANILA (Reuters) – A bomb attack in the southern Philippines that killed 10 bus passengers, mostly students, and injured 42, was intended to derail a peace deal with Muslim rebels, two army officials said on Wednesday.
China jails 21 members of banned religious cult
BEIJING (Reuters) – Courts in two Chinese cities handed jail terms to 21 members of a banned religious cult, state media said on Wednesday, in the latest action against a group that saw two of its members condemned to death in October.
Special no more? Holding Korean chaebol to higher account
SEOUL (Reuters) – The uproar that forced a Korean Air Lines executive to resign after delaying a flight because she was unhappy with the way nuts were served points to growing intolerance of corporate bad behavior in a country dominated by family congl…
Pakistan family feud ends in massacre after 28 years
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) – A 60-year-old woman, her husband and their three children were axed to death in central Pakistan by the woman’s family in revenge for the couple marrying 28 years ago, police said on Wednesday.
