Five illegal miners found dead in abandoned South African shaft
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Five illegal miners have been found dead in an abandoned shaft near Johannesburg, emergency services said on Wednesday, highlighting the dangers of scavenging for bullion beneath Africa’s financial center.
U.S. warns banks to watch for ousted Ukraine leader moving looted funds
(Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury warned banks on Tuesday to be on the look-out for potentially suspicious transfers of financial assets by Ukraine’s fugitive President Viktor Yanukovich or members of his inner circle.
Tunisian navy rescues nearly 100 migrants off Jerba
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian naval forces rescued nearly 100 African migrants off the coast on Wednesday after their vessel got into trouble on route from Libya to Europe, Tunisia’s defense ministry said.
Reforms, presidential vote in focus after Romania coalition splits
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Ministers from Romania’s Liberals resigned from the government on Wednesday, a day after the party quit the ruling coalition in a break-up that will trigger a confidence vote and has changed the dynamics of a presidential election…
Putin puts troops in western Russia on alert in drill
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow’s military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.
Romania president to approve IMF deal review after government split
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s President Traian Basescu said on Wednesday he will ratify a review of the European Union state’s aid deal led by the International Monetary Fund, to send a signal of stability after the ruling alliance split the day befo…
Austria takes harder line on bank secrecy
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann on Wednesday demanded movement in European Union tax talks with Switzerland and other non-EU countries and linked this to whether Vienna will agree to automatically exchange data on cross-border sav…
Germany’s top court scraps 3 percent vote threshold for EU poll
KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) – Germany’s top court on Wednesday scrapped a rule that political parties need at least three percent of the vote to enter the European Parliament, opening the door to more fringe movements winning seats in a May 25 electio…
Hezbollah says will respond to Israeli air strike
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Hezbollah will respond to an Israeli air strike that hit one of its bases on the border with Syria on Monday night, the Lebanese militant group said on Wednesday.
Uighur professor could face death sentence in China: lawyer
BEIJING (Reuters) – A prominent ethnic Uighur economist is unlikely to receive a fair trial and could face the death penalty after being charged with separatism in China’s far western Xinjiang region, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
