Piracy expected to increase ahead of Nigeria’s election
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Piracy will increase in the Gulf of Guinea as Nigeria prepares for an election next February in order to funnel ransom money into campaign financing, intelligence experts told a shipping conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Burkina Faso talks over referendum on term limits collapse
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Talks aimed at easing tension between Burkina Faso’s ruling party and the opposition have broken down without resolving the issue of whether President Blaise Compaore can seek constitutional changes to stay in power beyond next …
Italy’s Renzi tells party rebels to back him in key jobs vote
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Tuesday he expected rebels from his Democratic Party (PD) would swing behind him in a confidence vote over contested labor reform plans that he has to win to remain in power.
Greek Cypriots halt peace talks with Turk Cypriots over gas row
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Greek Cypriots suspended peace talks with Turkish Cypriots on Tuesday in protest at what they called attempts by Turkey to undermine gas exploration off the ethnically divided island.
Train drivers, pilots’ strikes target German freight
BERLIN (Reuters) – Strikes by train drivers’ and pilots’ unions over pay and conditions in Germany are expected to disrupt travelers and freight inside and outside the country from Tuesday evening.
U.S. drawdown in Iraq, Afghanistan dents Israeli arms exports
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s defense exports dropped by almost 13 percent in 2013 as the United States and its allies drew down forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and other foreign buyers trimmed procurement budgets, Israeli officials said on Tuesday.
Ukraine acts to push through anti-corruption laws before election
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s pro-Western government pressed ahead to secure new laws to tackle top-level government corruption on Tuesday, hoping to ease public discontent before an election from which it wants backing for its plan to end a separatist re…
Liberia justice minister quits, says president blocked investigation
MONROVIA (Reuters) – Liberia’s justice minister has stepped down, saying President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf blocked her investigation into fraud allegations against the country’s National Security Agency (NSA), which is headed by the president’s son.
Transgender activist wins landmark case in Kenyan court
NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Transgender activist Audrey Mbugua won a landmark case on Tuesday when the High Court ordered the Kenya National Examinations Council to change her name on her academic certificates.
Bahrain prince does not enjoy immunity over torture claims, UK court rules
LONDON (Reuters) – A British court ruled on Tuesday that Bahraini Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who has been accused of torturing detainees in Bahrain, does not enjoy immunity from prosecution in Britain.
