China state sector a honey pot for corrupt officials
HONG KONG (Reuters) – In March last year, after getting government approval to go ahead with a $900 million refinery expansion in China’s southeastern Fujian province, state-run oil giant Sinopec Corp warned the team handling the project against taking…
Friends of Syria say determined to boost support to opposition
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The Friends of Syria group declared on Thursday that it is determined to boost aid to all parts of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, which has been struggling with increasing infighting in recent weeks.
Kenya says ‘white widow’ Interpol alert not linked to mall attack
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya asked international police agency Interpol to issue a wanted persons alert for Samantha Lewthwaite, a British citizen dubbed the “white widow” who has been cited by British police as a possible suspect in the Kenyan mall attac…
Palestinian leader urges world powers to rein in Israeli settlements
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that “time is running out” for Middle East peace efforts and urged world powers to rein in Israeli settlement construction that he said could undermine U.S.-sponsored negot…
Mali Tuareg separatists suspend participation in peace process
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Tuareg separatists pulled out of a peace agreement with the Mali government on Thursday, accusing Bamako of not respecting its commitments to a truce reached in June.
U.S. prosecutors accuse ex-Mexican governor of laundering millions
McALLEN, Texas (Reuters) – U.S. prosecutors have accused a former Mexican state governor of laundering stolen millions via the United States, in an unwelcome reminder for the Mexican government of corruption allegations dogging the ruling Institutional…
Kerry, Iranian foreign minister sit side-by-side at nuclear talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif joined nuclear talks with six world powers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, taking a seat next to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
‘Shame, shame, shame’ Mugabe tells U.S. and Britain
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe on Thursday berated the United States and former colonial power Britain and its allies for trying to control his nation and its resources, telling them to remove their “illegal and filthy sa…
U.S., China want quick, binding U.N. resolution on Syria, U.S. says
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States and China strongly agree on the need for the U.N. Security Council to quickly adopt a binding resolution on eradicating Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday in remarks th…
Russia’s Putin makes plans for prison amnesty
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering a prison amnesty later this year, a gesture that could enable him to counter critics who say the courts have been used to silence his political foes.
