Japan passes law to launch reform of electricity sector
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s upper house passed legislation on Wednesday to start the most ambitious reform of its electricity sector since 1951, a process prompted by the Fukushima nuclear crisis that may end with the break-up of powerful regional monopo…
Nazi Kristallnacht against Jews remembered as living memory fades
VIENNA (Reuters) – Lilly Drukker was 11 years old when two uniformed Nazis barged into her family’s Vienna apartment in November 1938 to take her father away to the Dachau concentration camp.
China points to social welfare reforms needed for urbanization drive
BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Among the issues China’s top leaders tackled this week as they hammered out their policy roadmap, some may determine whether children attending the likes of the Pengying school in Beijing fulfill their dreams.
Al Qaeda in Yemen vows revenge for Shi’ite rebel attack on Salafis
RIYADH (Reuters) – Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has pledged revenge against Shi’ite Houthi rebels in northern Yemen for their assault on a Salafi school in Dammaj, Site Monitoring Service reported late on Tuesday, citing a statement from th…
Venezuela’s Congress paves way for Maduro decree powers
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s Congress on Tuesday stripped an opposition deputy of parliamentary immunity over corruption allegations, giving the ruling Socialist Party enough votes to approve President Nicolas Maduro’s request for decree powers.
Honduras ruling party candidate Hernandez eyes IMF credit deal
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – Honduras’ ruling party presidential candidate Juan Hernandez said on Tuesday he hoped to strike a financing deal with the IMF within six months if he were to win this month’s election and would also seek to refinance the country…
U.N. Security Council to vote this week on delay of Kenya trials: Rwanda
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – As Africa urges the U.N. Security Council to take it more seriously, Rwanda plans to put to a vote this week a draft resolution to defer International Criminal Court trials of Kenya’s leaders for one year, despite lacking suf…
Raytheon, Lockheed consider fresh bid for Turkey missile defense
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. arms makers Raytheon Co and Lockheed Martin Corp are considering ways to sweeten their offer to build a Patriot missile defense system for Turkey after Ankara said it could still back away from a provisional $3.4 billion dea…
U.S. to name Nigeria’s Boko Haram as terrorist group: sources
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The State Department will formally designate the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram as a “foreign terrorist organization” on Wednesday, congressional sources and others briefed on the matter said.
Mexico nears electoral reform, opening door to energy bill
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Accused a generation ago of engineering the “perfect dictatorship,” Mexico’s ruling party is now close to agreeing on a plan that could weaken the presidency and strengthen Congress in order to win votes for a major energy refor…
