Insight: As powers push for talks, Syria balance tilts towards Assad
BEIRUT (Reuters) – More than two and a half years into the civil war devastating Syria, the United States and Russia are pushing the combatants to the negotiating table in Geneva, but on terms that mark a shift in favor of Bashar al-Assad against the i…
Zimbabwe’s rusting factories put Mugabe in a bind
CHEGUTU, Zimbabwe (Reuters) – Across Zimbabwe, dozens of factories lie idle with peeling paint, rusting machines and broken roofs in once bustling industrial districts, symbols of the huge economic challenge facing President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-…
Slovenian PM wins confidence vote, but bailout risk remains
LJUBLJANA (Reuters) – Slovenia’s government won a confidence vote on Thursday over its efforts to avert an international bailout, even as the imminent cost of a bank clean-up risks tipping the euro zone country’s finances over the edge.
China’s reform agenda ‘unprecedented’, official says
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s reform plan approved by party leaders is “unprecedented” and fundamental changes are expected following the decision to upgrade the role of markets in the economy, a senior party official said in comments published on Friday…
Syrian air raid kills rebel commander in Aleppo: activists
AMMAN (Reuters) – A Syrian rebel commander in a main Islamist brigade was killed and two others were injured in an air strike by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces on Aleppo, activists said on Friday, in a setback to rebels defending the city against a…
Venezuela jails 100 ‘bourgeois’ businessmen in crackdown
CARACAS, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Venezuela’s socialist government has arrested more than 100 “bourgeois” businessmen in a crackdown on alleged price-gouging at hundreds of shops and companies since the weekend, President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday.
Toronto mayor says ‘I’m sorry’ again, to get help for alcohol problem
TORONTO (Reuters) – Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, under huge pressure to quit after he admitted smoking crack cocaine, said on Thursday he was getting help for a drinking problem, but offered no indication that he might step down.
North Korea denies aiding Syria in fight against rebels
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea denied it was sending military aid to the Syrian government, one of its few close allies, in its battle against rebel forces after media reports said that Pyongyang had sent advisors and helicopter pilots.
Venezuela president vows no letup in price-gouging crackdown
CARACAS (Reuters) – President Nicolas Maduro has promised to step up a pre-election “economic offensive” that has resulted in inspections of hundreds of Venezuelan businesses for price gouging and caused crowds to flock to shops to take advantage of st…
Army occupation angers Sri Lankan Tamils four years after war ends
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) – The threats came by text message, a phone call and a delivery of two cow skulls. The message was clear: stop protesting against the army’s occupation of your land or you will be killed.
