Brazil’s Rousseff struggling to limit Petrobras scandal’s damage
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – President Dilma Rousseff expects a bribery scandal at state-run oil company Petrobras to deteriorate in coming months, aides say, with arrests possible for some political allies and potentially serious damage to an econom…
UK troops in largest armored deployment in Eastern Europe for six years
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is carrying out its largest armored deployment in Eastern Europe for six years, in a joint exercise with Poland to reassure it in the wake of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday.
Hunger striker ‘prepared to die’ over Trinidad highway project
PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) – Trinidadian hunger striker Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh, in his 65th day of consuming no food or water, says he is prepared to continue his fast, even if it means giving up his life to stop construction of a controversial highway.
Vazquez favorite to win Uruguay presidential vote as economy shines
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Leftist ruling party candidate Tabare Vazquez is a clear favorite to win Uruguay’s presidential election this month, buoyed by widespread affection for the country’s outgoing leader and strong economic growth.
Merkel against unilaterally recognizing Palestine as a state
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday rejected the idea of Germany recognizing Palestine as a state unilaterally, saying the Palestinians and Israel could solve their long-running conflict only through negotiations.
Togo opposition marchers clash with security forces
LOME (Reuters) – Security forces in Togo’s capital Lome fired tear gas on Friday at stone-throwing opposition supporters who were among thousands of people marching against a potential reelection bid by the president.
In class obsessed Britain, tweet of ‘white van’ man hits nerve
ROCHESTER England (Reuters) – Posting a picture on Twitter of a two-storey house, displaying three English flags of St. George and with a white tradesman’s van outside might seem innocuous to a foreign eye.
Zimbabwe calls South African report on its 2002 election ‘rubbish’
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A senior Zimbabwean minister on Friday slammed a report by two South African judges that said Zimbabwe’s 2002 elections, won by long-time President Robert Mugabe, were not free and fair.
Fugitive Ukraine tycoon wins, then loses, Serbian citizenship
BELGRADE (Reuters) – A multi-millionaire gas tycoon who is wanted by police in his native Ukraine and blacklisted by the EU was briefly granted citizenship in Serbia, only for the government on Friday to reverse a decision that risked drawing fire from…
Bank executive among finalists to be Brazil finance minister
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Respected Brazilian banking executive Joaquim Levy is among three finalists to become the country’s next finance minister, and President Dilma Rousseff could announce her pick later on Friday, a government official said.