China’s Communist Party expels ex-Nanjing mayor for bribes
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s ruling Communist Party has expelled a former city mayor for bribery and abuse of power, one of the most senior government officials to fall victim to President Xi Jinping’s campaign against graft.
Arrest of billionaire highlights political divisions in Iran
BEIRUT (Reuters) – While international sanctions have made life a struggle for many Iranians, they were a big break for businessman Babak Zanjani, who made a fortune helping the government evade the restrictions on oil sales. He also made enemies.
Panama’s first lady tapped as vice presidential candidate
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panama’s ruling party nominated Marta Linares, the wife of President Ricardo Martinelli, as its vice presidential candidate for the May election, the party’s presidential candidate announced on his Twitter page on Wednesday.
Exclusive: U.S. readies financial sanctions against Ukraine: congressional aides
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration is preparing financial sanctions that could be imposed on Ukrainian officials and protest leaders if violence escalates in the political crisis gripping Ukraine, congressional aides said on Wednesday.
Exclusive: Syria has shipped out less than 5 percent of chemical weapons
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Syria has given up less than 5 percent of its chemical weapons arsenal and will miss next week’s deadline to send all toxic agents abroad for destruction, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Russia to await new Ukraine government before fully implementing rescue-Putin
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin raised the pressure on Ukraine on Wednesday, saying Russia would wait until it forms a new government before fully implementing a $15 billion bailout deal that Kiev urgently needs.
Amanda Knox faces verdict in Italy in retrial on Kercher murder
FLORENCE, Italy (Reuters) – Amanda Knox, the American student who became tabloid fodder, will not be in court on Thursday to hear Italian judges give their verdict in her retrial for the murder of Briton Meredith Kercher when the two were roommates stu…
South Korea urges North to hasten reunions but vows to continue drills
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea urged the North on Wednesday to speed efforts for reunions of families separated since the war that divided the neighbors, but vowed to continue joint military drills with the United States, despite protests from Pyongyang…
Brahimi says no substantive progress on Syria but hopeful
GENEVA (Reuters) – International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said on Wednesday that he does not expect to achieve anything substantive in the first round of Syria talks ending on Friday, but hoped for a more productive second round starting about a week l…
Baghdad bombs and shooting kill at least 19
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Car bombs in mainly Shi’ite districts of the Iraqi capital and a shooting killed at least 19 people on Wednesday, police said, driving the death toll so far this month to nearly 1,000, according to Iraq Body Count.
