Brazil offers new credit line as Rousseff pushes positive agenda
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil will hand out 17 billion reais ($8 billion) in cheap loans for home appliance purchases, the government said on Wednesday, in a move to bolster Brazilians’ buying power as a lackluster economy and high inflation erode its ap…
Kenyan MPs take first pay cut, but allowances mount
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan members of parliament, among the best paid in Africa, have bowed to public anger by accepting their first pay cut – but only in exchange for a tax-free car grant, pensions and extra allowances, officials said on Wednesday.
Greek PM faces coalition revolt over state TV shutdown
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras faced a political revolt on Wednesday from his ruling coalition partners after the government abruptly switched the state broadcaster off the air in the middle of the night.
Bulgaria charges ex-interior minister in wiretapping scandal
SOFIA (Reuters) – A former Bulgarian interior minister was charged with abuse of power on Wednesday in a wiretapping scandal that has damaged the public’s trust in politicians.
Swiss upper house backs U.S. tax deal to protect banks
ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland cleared the first hurdle towards ending a long-running U.S. tax probe after one chamber of lawmakers voted to allow banks to sidestep strict secrecy laws to end the threat of criminal charges for helping wealthy Americans…
Swiss upper house backs U.S. tax deal to protect banks
ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland cleared the first hurdle towards ending a long-running U.S. tax probe after one chamber of lawmakers voted to allow banks to sidestep strict secrecy laws to end the threat of criminal charges for helping wealthy Americans…
Iran’s Khamenei says big election turnout will frustrate foes
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s supreme leader urged voters to turn out in big numbers for a presidential election on Friday, saying such a show of strength would frustrate Tehran’s enemies.
Mediators fly to Mali to salvage northern ceasefire deal
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Mediators working to hammer out a ceasefire agreement between Mali’s government and Tuareg rebels before July elections flew to Bamako on Wednesday to attempt to convince the country’s interim president to sign the deal.
Polish prosecutors get more time for CIA jail probe
WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish prosecutors have extended until October a five-year-old criminal investigation into allegations that the CIA ran secret jails on Polish soil, a case human rights activists say the authorities are deliberately dragging out.
Migrants in Greece detained based on appearance: HRW
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police have often detained people based on their physical appearance during a crackdown on illegal immigration and only a fraction of them were found to be in the country unlawfully, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.
