Qatar unveils labor reforms but no timetable, after rights criticism
DOHA (Reuters) – Qatar unveiled plans for labor reforms on Wednesday after persistent criticism from rights group over its treatment of workers, but it set no timetable and the changes would still leave employees without a minimum wage or trade unions….
Former Kazakh minister faces U.S. racketeering lawsuit
(Reuters) – The largest city in Kazakhstan has sued former government minister Viktor Khrapunov and several of his relatives in the United States, accusing them of systematically looting state assets for their own benefit.
Italy’s Berlusconi says he was forced out by EU ‘plot’
ROME (Reuters) – Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi repeated accusations on Wednesday that he had been forced out of office at the height of the euro zone crisis in 2011 as the result of a plot by European Union officials.
Court orders arrest of Kenyan over ICC bribing charge
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s high court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a journalist wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of trying to bribe witnesses in the prosecution of deputy president William Ruto.
Colombia rebels say ‘stable and lasting peace’ is possible
HAVANA (Reuters) – The chances for a “stable and lasting peace” have never been better, Colombian rebels said before peace talks on Wednesday in the latest sign that President Juan Manuel Santos could receive a boost from the negotiations ahead of the …
Ex-reporter tells UK court he hacked William and Kate’s phones nearly 200 times
LONDON (Reuters) – The former royal editor of Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid admitted to a London court on Wednesday he had repeatedly hacked the voicemails of Princes William and Harry, and William’s wife Kate Middleton.
Pakistan tells Indian journalists to leave within a week
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has told both Indian journalists stationed in Islamabad to leave within a week, the two said on Wednesday, and New Delhi criticized this as a retrograde step that would weigh on confidence-building measures between the nu…
Class tensions surface in Brazil presidential campaign
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A controversial new campaign ad has made class divisions a key theme in Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s battle for re-election in October.
Saudi king appoints son as governor of Riyadh province
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah appointed his son as governor of Riyadh Province on Wednesday in a move that strengthens his branch of the ruling dynasty as it approaches a difficult decision over how to transfer power to the next gener…
U.S. positions forces in Sicily over North Africa security fears
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon said on Wednesday it has temporarily moved nearly 200 Marines to Sicily from their base in Spain because of concerns about unrest in North Africa, bolstering the U.S. ability to respond to any crisis.
