Ivorian opposition parties charged Tuesday that President Laurent Gbagbo is seeking to sabotage the electoral process by ordering a corruption probe into a senior minister.

Ivory Coast minister accused of stealing compensation meant for victims of toxic waste spill. Ivory Coast's president has called for a corruption investigation into a top minister.

Former Wachovia executive pleads guilty in North Carolina court in embezzlement case. A former executive with Wachovia has pleaded guilty in federal court in North Carolina to charges involving the embezzlement of more than $11 million from the bank.

In a surprise decision, Taiwan's high court Friday cut ex-president Chen Shui-bian's life sentence for corruption to 20 years in jail, but the former leader said he would appeal.

Taiwan's high court Friday cut ex-president Chen Shui-bian's life sentence for corruption to 20 years in jail, court officials told AFP, but an aide to the former leader said he would appeal.

Dozens of protestors on Tuesday decried Japan's prosecution of two anti-whaling activists facing 18 months in prison for snatching a case of whale meat.

Japanese prosecutors demanded 18-month jail terms for two Greenpeace activists on trial for committing theft and trespass while investigating alleged embezzlement in the country's whaling industry.

Former Russian prime minister: embezzlement charges against imprisoned tycoon are absurd. A former Russian prime minister turned fierce Kremlin critic came to the defense of an imprisoned tycoon on Monday, telling a Moscow court that prosecutors' new charges of massive crude oil embezzlement are absurd.

Spokesman for rural Nevada sheriff arrested, then sends release and own booking photo to media. A Nevada detective who serves as spokesman for a county sheriff's office was arrested and released, then sent media a release about it, accompanied by his booking photo.

Chinese authorities are investigating whether millions of dollars embezzled by a former rail company executive have been laundered through New Zealand, a report said Sunday.

Chinese authorities are investigating whether millions of dollars embezzled by a former rail company executive has been laundered through New Zealand, a report said Sunday.

Chinese authorities are investigating whether millions of dollars embezzled by a former rail company executive has been laundered through New Zealand, a report said Sunday.

RESIDENTS ARE THE TALE OF TWO TOWNS. Tonopah

Serbian Orthodox Church retires spiritual leader of Kosovo Serbs over embezzlement. The Serbian Orthodox Church says Archbishop Artemije will no longer be its spiritual leader in Kosovo after allegations that millions in church and state funds were embezzled under his leadership.

Former bank chief Rafik Khalifa is to be extradited to Algeria, where he has been sentenced to life in prison over a massive embezzlement scandal, the Home Office said.

Nigeria: Judge throws out injunction stopping ruling party from holding meeting. A Nigerian judge says the country's ruling party can hold its first meeting led by the nation's acting president, despite an injunction filed yesterday to stop it.

Croatia: Ex-ambassador to Washington convicted for luxury meals, shopping at state expense. A court has convicted Croatia's former ambassador to Washington of embezzlement for spending more than $120,000 of the state's money on luxury meals and shopping and sentenced him to a year and a half in prison.

Danielle Steel's ex-assistant sent to prison for stealing over $760,000 from romance novelist. Danielle Steel's former assistant has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for embezzling more than $760,000 from the romance novelist.

Religion News in Brief. France's lower house of parliament will debate a resolution next month on regulating Islamic garments that fully cover a woman's body and face, paving the way for a likely law banning face-covering veils, officials said Tuesday.

Russia's jailed oil tycoon Khodorkovsky says no proof he stole oil, in courtroom defense. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's jailed former oil tycoon, testified for five hours in a packed courtroom on Wednesday, saying that none of the companies he is accused of stealing oil from ever reported the alleged theft.