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.
Floods of Ukrainian refugees seek new life in Russia
BELGOROD Russia (Reuters) – After three days trapped in a cellar by shelling, Svetlana and Sergei Divenko left their home in eastern Ukraine and fled to Russia with their two children and a single bag.
Romanian public workers stage vuvuzela pay protest
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Thousands of workers rallied in front of the offices of Romania’s leftist government on Tuesday to demand better living standards and wages, just weeks before a presidential election.
Japan, Russia leaders to meet on APEC sidelines in November
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Russian President Vladmir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Beijing in November, the two leaders decided on Tuesday, a Japanese government official sa…
Thai police chief defends investigation of murder of British tourists
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s police chief defended on Tuesday the arrest of two Myanmar men for the murder of two British tourists amid concern the pair may have admitted to the murders under duress.
Developing countries blast rich-world farm subsidies at Rome talks
ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Wealthy countries are still subsidising their farmers at the expense of developing nations, undermining market access for some of the world’s poorest producers, two farm ministers told a Food and Agriculture Organiza…
Japan, South Korea finance ministers to meet in Washington on Friday
TOKYO (Reuters) – The finance ministers of Japan and South Korea will hold their first bilateral meeting in nearly two years on Friday, on the sidelines of this week’s autumn IMF gathering in Washington, the Japanese Ministry of Finance said.
