Sex and drugs worth $16.7 billion to UK economy, statisticians say
LONDON (Reuters) – They already know what rock’n’roll is worth, so now Britain’s statisticians are getting to grips with sex and drugs in a bid to give a broader view of the size of the economy.
Six injured in building site collapse on new Turkish railway
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Six workers were injured when part of a building site on a new Turkish high-speed rail line, still under testing, collapsed in the northwestern province of Sakarya on Thursday, the Turkish state railway company said.
UK Iraq war inquiry ‘unblocked’ after deal on Blair/Bush letters
LONDON (Reuters) – The long-delayed results of Britain’s inquiry into the Iraq War came a step closer to publication on Thursday after a deal was reached on how to use notes and phone call records between then prime minister Tony Blair and U.S. preside…
Le Pen as President? France thinks the unthinkable
PARIS (Reuters) – The victory of France’s far-right National Front in EU elections and the disarray of its two main parties has the French asking themselves an awkward question: could its leader Marine Le Pen be their next president?
Ukraine’s empty seat at table darkens party for Putin’s new ex-Soviet bloc
ASTANA (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Kazakhstan and Belarus on Thursday into a new Eurasian Economic Union built to rival the United States, EU and China – but the absence of Ukraine undermined his dream of restoring Soviet glor…
Hungarian PM Orban keeps most of cabinet intact: MTI
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has kept most of his cabinet intact after winning re-election last month, national MTI news agency said on Thursday.
Thai junta says ‘right conditions’ needed before polls
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military rulers held out little hope for early elections on Thursday, a week after the army seized power, saying conditions had to be right and divisions healed before there could be a return to civilian rule.
Kosovo’s ambassador to Albania cleared of beating women during war
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo’s ambassador to neighboring Albania was cleared on Thursday of war crimes over the alleged beating and torture of two women during a 1998-99 war in the former Serbian province.
EU must be seen to protect ordinary people: Van Rompuy
BERLIN (Reuters) – The European Union needs to be seen to protect ordinary people and not just promote the interests of business and of a mobile, multilingual elite to regain citizens’ trust, the chairman of EU summits said on Thursday.
China orders tech ministry to self-report corruption
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s top anti-corruption body said employees at the country’s internet regulator must adopt a “zero tolerance” policy toward corrupt employees, as Beijing expands a crackdown on pervasive graft.
