IHT Quick Read: Dec. 7 NEWS Egypt descended deeper into political turmoil on Thursday as the embattled president, Mohamed Morsi, vowed to proceed with a referendum on an Islamist-backed constitution that has prompted deadly street battles between his supporters and their opponents. Kurdish militias have joined the fighting in Syria and are seeking autonomy, raising fears of balkanization if the government of President Bashar al-Assad falls. Tim Arango reports from Ceylanpinar, Turkey. A blaze that killed 112 workers in Bangladesh last month exposed a disconnect among retailers like Sears and Walmart, the monitoring system to protect workers and the factories filling the orders. Jim Yardley reports from Ashulia, Bangladesh. Apple plans to join a small but growing number of companies that are bringing some manufacturing jobs back to the United States, drawn by the growing economic and political advantages of producing in their home market. Catherine Rampell and Nick Wingfield report. The fashion designer Pierre Cardin has a dream of turning a Venice industrial dump into a futuristic palazzo, leading to a debate about the city's future. Elisabetta Povoledo reports from Venice. ARTS "Yo, Adrian! I'm singin'!": A stage musical based on the 1976 movie "Rocky" has proved a hit in Hamburg, Germany. Now its producers hope to bring it to Broadway. Patrick Healy reports from Hamburg. Love may or may not make the world go round, but it's certainly doing its bit for the London theater, from "Twelfth Night" and "Kiss Me Kate" to "Boy Meets Boy" and "The Effect," the galvanic new play by Lucy Prebble. Matt Wolf on theater. SPORTS While there are other high points in the international horse-racing calendar - the Arc de Triomphe event in France, the Breeders' Cup in the United States and Royal Ascot in England - nobody rolls out the welcome mat like Hong Kong and Dubai. But shipping horses has its risks. Gina Rarick on racing. The triumph of Celtic and the elimination of Chelsea on the final night of Champions League group games showed that there is more than wealth - and even more than individual ability - to staying in the toughest soccer competition on earth.