ECONOMY: When Students With Money Become a Problem

Shailesh arrived to study in Britain earlier this month with a bagful of money. Not because he was that rich, but because he was not sure he could ever open a bank account. And so he took to the pre-banking style of keeping his money.

CORRUPTION-US: Halliburton Whistleblower Demoted

Whistleblowers - those who go public with allegations of waste, fraud and abuse - continue to have a tough time, despite a law protecting them and repeated assurances from the White House, many government agencies and Congress that they maintain a policy of zero tolerance for retaliation.

ECONOMY: Nigeria Woos South African Investors

A three-day conference which took place this week in Johannesburg has highlighted the possibilities for increased trade between South Africa and Nigeria.

CORRUPTION: Little Slovakia Manages a Lot

Corruption watchdog Transparency International has accused the Slovak government of inconsistency after the prime minister sacked economy minister Pavol Rusko over a conflict of interest involving an unexplained 105 million Slovak crown (three million dollar) loan..

VIETNAM: Media Seen as Watchdogs but Get Bitten

As in other communist-ruled countries, newspapers in Vietnam are expected to support the ruling party and government while also playing the role of watchdog against such evils as corruption in high places.

MEXICO: Despite New Attitude, Corruption Alive and Well

Mexico decided five years ago to "leave corruption behind" and has begun to reap the results, President Vicente Fox has triumphantly proclaimed.

POLITICS-MALAYSIA: Affirmative Action Debated as Elites Cream Off Benefits

The debate over Malaysia’s affirmative action policies has been swirling in recent weeks after revelations that a coterie of well-connected, ethnic Malays have reaped huge profits from import permits awarded to them.

CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: Lula and the PT Struggling for Survival

In a nationwide address on Friday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva apologised to the Brazilian people and said he felt "betrayed" by the individuals responsible for the corruption scandal that is threatening to topple his government and the Workers Party (PT).

CORRUPTION-CHILE: Pinochet’s Wife and Son in the Dock Now Too

Prosecuting Judge Sergio Muñoz, who is investigating former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's secret bank accounts, ordered the arrest of his wife Lucía Hiriart and his youngest son Marco Antonio on charges of tax fraud.

POLITICS: Heads Roll in Iraqi Oil For Food Inquiry

After spending some 35 million dollars probing wrongdoing in Iraq's Oil for Food Programme, U.N. investigators have accused the former head of the humanitarian project of taking nearly 150,000 in cash bribes.

ENVIRONMENT: Tiger Methods Needed to Keep Sri Lanka Clean

Known as one of the world's most ruthless militant outfits, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are now earning a green reputation for enforcing a ban on polythene carry bags and other non-biodegradable plastics in territories under its control.

POLITICS: Putin Fights Opposition in the Shadows

State prosecutors have launched a criminal case against former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov barely six months after he hinted that he might run for presidential elections due 2008.

BURMA: Top UN Official Reports Gross Malnutrition, Poverty

A journey from the Burmese capital of Rangoon to the country's borders reveals a picture of hungry, malnourished children that is ''serious'' and ''getting worse,'' a top United Nations official reported Friday.

ECONOMY-DRC: Helpful Intervention or Meddling?

A controversy has arisen in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over moves for an international committee that is helping oversee the country’s transition to democracy to assist government in managing public funds.

CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: Lula Remains Bullet-Proof as Scandal Rages On

Despite growing evidence of corruption in Brazil's ruling Workers Party, there is little doubt that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will remain safely in power until the end of his term in January 2007, especially now that even the opposition is striving to shield him from the fallout of the ongoing scandal.

POLITICS: Badawi Ushers in New Era for Malays and Malaysians

A new man brings a new style. But beyond the style - softer, less parochial and more consensus-seeking - Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has also brought in a new vision for Malaysians.

CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: More Heads Roll as Crisis Deepens

The crisis facing Brazil's ruling leftist Workers Party (PT) and President Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva has progressively deepened over the last seven weeks, as a growing number of government figures are toppled by the emergence of further evidence of large-scale corruption.

POLITICS-EU: Lobby Groups Face Greater Scrutiny

A new Brussels-based lobby watchdog aims to curb the growing influence of powerful corporate lobby groups on European Union decision-making.

POLITICS-US: Weighing Washington’s Whistle-Blowers

It's not much of a stretch to argue that the toughest - and perhaps the most thankless - job in the U.S. government is carried out by a group of people very few citizens have ever heard of.

POLITICS-US: "PlameGate" Is Hardly a Summer Squall

While to people living outside the Washington "Beltway," the current affair over the disclosure by top White House officials of the identity of a covert intelligence officer may seem somewhat esoteric, the stakes could not be higher.

ENVIRONMENT-CAMEROON: Corruption Rooted in Logging Industry – NGOs

Just over a decade ago, Cameroon drafted a law that was intended to regulate commercial use of the country's forests. In spite of this, corruption and uncontrolled exploitation are putting forest areas at risk, say non-governmental organisations (NGOs).