Exclusive: China plans to create energy ministry in government shake-up – sources
BEIJING (Reuters) – China plans to create an energy ministry to oversee the country’s vast oil, natural gas, coal and power sectors, part of a government shake-up to make policymaking more efficient, four sources with ties to the country’s leadership s…
Germany looks to revise social media law as Europe watches
BERLIN (Reuters) – A German law requiring social media companies like Facebook and Twitter to quickly remove hate speech from their sites is set to be revised following criticism that too much online content is being blocked, according to officials.
Syrian government forces poised to slice eastern Ghouta in two: commander
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) – Syria’s army is poised to slice rebel-held eastern Ghouta in two as forces advancing from the east link up with troops at its western edge, a pro-Damascus commander said on Thursday.
Danish inventor denies murder in Swedish journalist death trial: lawyer
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish inventor Peter Madsen denies murdering Swedish journalist Kim Wall aboard his homebuilt submarine in August but admits indecent handling of a corpse, his defense lawyer said at the opening of his trial in Copenhagen on Thu…
Tillerson says African countries should weigh Chinese loans carefully
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday that African countries should weigh Chinese loans carefully, while adding that Washington was not trying to keep Chinese investment away from the continent.
Cubs of the Caliphate: rehabilitating Islamic State’s child fighters
RAWANGA CAMP, Iraq (Reuters) – While children who have been through war typically draw devastating pictures of the violence they have suffered, few show themselves as the perpetrators.
Xi Jinping’s latest tag: living Buddhist deity, Chinese official says
BEIJING (Reuters) – President of China, head of its Communist Party, commander-in-chief of the military and now living Buddhist deity – Xi Jinping has added another title to his growing collection, at least in the eyes of some ethnic Tibetans.
Tepco’s ‘ice wall’ fails to freeze Fukushima’s toxic water buildup
OKUMA, Japan (Reuters) – A costly “ice wall” is failing to keep groundwater from seeping into the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, data from operator Tokyo Electric Power Co shows, preventing it from removing radioactive melted fuel at the si…
Indonesia to hand over luxury yacht to U.S. amid 1MDB probe
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia is making preparations to hand over a luxury yacht seized in Bali last month to U.S. authorities targeting assets allegedly bought with money siphoned off from a Malaysian state fund, a police official said on Thursday.
Pro-Damascus commander says eastern Ghouta effectively sliced in two
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army has effectively sliced rebel-held eastern Ghouta in two as forces advancing from the east are poised to link up with troops at the enclave’s western edge, a pro-Damascus military commander said on Thursday.
