Myanmar parliament rejects charter change in blow to Suu Kyi

NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar's parliament Thursday dealt a body blow to Aung San Suu Kyi's hopes of amending a junta-era constitution that bars her from the presidency before landmark elections, voting down a bill to end the military's effective veto on charter change.

The vote, held after three days of energetic debate between uniformed soldiers and elected MPs, saw parliament shoot down a draft amendment that would have loosened the military's political stranglehold.