In Vietnam, weary apparatchiks launch quiet revolution
HANOI (Reuters) – The Vietnam of today wasn’t what Le Hieu Dang had hoped for when he joined the Communist Party 40 years ago to liberate and rebuild a country reeling from decades of war and French and U.S. occupation.
Mexico leftists exit pact, may boost case for energy reform
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The head of Mexico’s main leftist party said on Thursday it had pulled out of a cross-party pact on economic reform, which could push the government toward a more radical plan to spur investment in the oil industry wanted by con…
One killed, nine injured in shelling of Russian embassy in Damascus
MOSCOW (Reuters) – One Syrian was killed and nine others were injured during a mortar shelling of the Russian embassy in Damascus, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Draft Egypt constitution strengthens army as talks drag on
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s new constitution would strengthen the army’s hand and could ban Islamist parties outright, according to a draft published in state media on Thursday, though the drafting body missed a self-imposed deadline for finalizing the t…
SPD tries to overcome grassroots skepticism on Merkel deal
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s Social Democrats began a do-or-die campaign on Thursday to persuade nearly half a million grassroots members, many skeptical about governing with conservative Angela Merkel again, to back their “grand coalition” in a ballot…
Afghan president condemns U.S. airstrike that killed a child
KABUL (Reuters) – President Hamid Karzai said U.S. forces had bombed a home in southern Afghanistan, killing a small child and wounding two women, and condemned the attack as a sign of disregard for civilian lives, his spokesman said on Thursday.
Mexico leftists temporarily exit reform-building pact
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The leader of Mexico’s main leftist political party said on Thursday it had temporarily pulled out of a cross-party pact aimed at forging economic reforms, saying they were being sidelined in talks over a key energy reform.
Seven killed in Iran quake, no damage to nuclear station reported
DUBAI (Reuters) – At least seven people were killed in an earthquake in Iran on Thursday near the city of Bushehr, where the country’s sole nuclear power plant is situated, state news agency IRNA reported.
EU leaders set for tough table-talk with Ukraine’s Yanukovich
VILNIUS (Reuters) – The European Union told Ukraine it was risking its economic future by rejecting a free-trade deal in favor of closer ties with Russia, hours before a likely frosty encounter on Thursday evening between EU leaders and President Vikto…
The ‘eye sniper’ and the girl protesters: Egypt’s tale of two trials
CAIRO (Reuters) – Two high-profile Egyptian trials, both arising from years of turbulent protests, have delivered sharply contrasting sentences in the space of just a few months.
