KIDNAPPING ACCUSATION

HANOI: Vietnam’s government was silent yesterday, a day after Germany accused Hanoi of kidnapping a former Vietnam oil executive seeking asylum in Berlin in what Germany said was an “unprecedented” breach of its laws. Berlin ordered a Vietnamese intelligence officer to leave Germany within 48 hours in response, and demanded Trinh Xuan Thanh, formerly of state oil firm PetroVietnam, be allowed to return. He faces charges of financial mismanagement in Vietnam. – Reuters