Liberia’s Johnson-Sirleaf sacks auditor-general for graft
DAKAR (Reuters) – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf dismissed Liberia’s auditor-general and the head of the public procurement agency (GSA) on Monday in a crackdown on public sector corruption.
Cuba to embark on deregulation of state companies
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba will begin deregulating state-run companies in 2014 as reform of the Soviet-style command economy moves from retail services and farming into its biggest enterprises, the head of the Communist Party’s reform efforts said.
U.N. urged to consider drones, gunships for South Sudan mission
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations should consider deploying surveillance drones and helicopter gunships in South Sudan because peacekeepers are struggling to protect civilians from violence and rights abuses, the U.N. special envoy to South…
White House says will not immediately cut off aid to Egypt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Monday it is not in the best interests of the United States to immediately change its aid program to Egypt, where President Mohamed Mursi was removed from office by the military last week.
Venezuela charges five officials with embezzling China funds
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela has arrested five officials and charged them with embezzling $84 million from a China-financed development fund administered by state-run development bank Bandes, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday.
U.S. tells Egyptian army to exercise ‘maximum restraint’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The State Department on Monday called on the Egyptian army to exercise “maximum restraint” in dealing with protesters after at least 51 people were killed when the military opened fire on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Mu…
France gives asylum to Ukrainian topless feminist activist
PARIS (Reuters) – France has granted asylum to a feminist activist who hacked down a Christian cross last year in Kiev with a chainsaw, the Ukrainian woman said on Monday.
White House says it is concerned about Egypt violence
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States remains concerned about the increasing violence and political polarization in Egypt, and has called on the transitional authority in Egypt to avoid reprisals, arrests and restrictions on the media, White House s…
France’s Sarkozy returns to political stage in party appeal
PARIS (Reuters) – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy made his first political appearance since losing power, staging an appeal to hundreds of conservative lawmakers on Monday to help save the UMP party from financial ruin.
Maine has no plans to halt oil rail shipments after Quebec tragedy
BOWDOINHAM, Maine (Reuters) – Maine has no plans to review shipments of crude through the state on rail lines after a deadly oil train derailment just across the border in Quebec’s Lac-Megantic over the weekend, the state’s Department of Transportation…
