Palestinian PM Hamdallah sworn in, faces Hamas, economic issues
RAMALLAH (Reuters) – Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and his West Bank-based government were sworn in on Thursday and one of their main challenges will be reaching a power-sharing deal with the Islamist Hamas movement ruling Gaza.
Defendants cheered at ‘show trial’ of anti-Putin protesters
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Supporters clapped and chanted “Freedom” in a Moscow courthouse on Thursday as 12 Russians went before a judge charged with mass disorder during a protest against President Vladimir Putin.
Merkel urged to come clean on Greek debt risks
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s opposition Social Democrats demanded that Chancellor Angela Merkel come clean about the risk of losses on government loans to Greece before a looming election, after the IMF said Athens may require additional debt relief as…
Bangladesh spurns garment industry in budget
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh’s finance minister promised on Thursday to improve working conditions in the garment industry after a deadly factory collapse, but he spurned calls for new public money to construct safer buildings.
Britain to pay for colonial-era torture, denies liability
LONDON/NAIROBI (Reuters) – Britain expressed regret on Thursday for the abuse of Kenyans by colonial forces during the 1950s Mau Mau insurgency and announced compensation for 5,228 survivors, but stopped short of apologizing.
Civil war memories, oil wealth smooth Algeria politics
BOUMERDES, Algeria (Reuters) – With its president in a French hospital for over a month and the surrounding region in turmoil, Algeria looks from the outside to be on course for a period of unrest.
Analysis: Hezbollah’s Syria victory risks wider Sunni-Shi’ite conflict
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The capture of Qusair by Syrian troops spearheaded by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi’ite Islamist militia, risks turning the war in Syria into a wider sectarian battle between Sunni and Shi’ite forces that will sweep through the country…
Jailed Egyptian blogger begins hunger strike: lawyer
CAIRO (Reuters) – A prominent Egyptian blogger has begun a hunger strike in protest at his detention and to raise awareness of what activists say is a widening crackdown on dissent by President Mohamed Mursi and his Islamist-led government.
Bulgaria wants faster foreign help in bus bomb investigation
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria wants speedier responses from nations it asked for help in its investigation of a deadly bus bombing in July that it has previously blamed on Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin said on Thursday.
China pledges faster economic reform, says opposes protectionism
CHENGDU, China (Reuters) – China is committed to accelerate economic reform, move faster to a consumer-driven economy and expand imports, while strongly opposing all forms of protectionism, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said on Thursday.
