Myanmar’s northern offensive against rebels sparks youthful revolt
MYITKYINA, Myanmar (Reuters) – Thousands of young people in northern Myanmar have staged one of the largest protests in years, successfully urging authorities to rescue civilians caught up in deadly fighting that threatens to unravel the country’s fitf…
Catalan parliament to vote on new leader on Saturday
MADRID (Reuters) – Catalonia’s parliament is to vote to approve a new leader of the region on Saturday, in the fifth attempt to form a government since the last administration was fired by Madrid nearly seven months ago for declaring independence.
Europe moves to safeguard Iran interests after U.S. pullout
BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) – Europe’s heavyweight economies took steps on Friday to safeguard their commercial and political interests in Iran, seeking to keep the nuclear deal with Tehran alive after Washington pulled out and said sanctions would follow.
Iraqi Kurdish fortunes reversed in city they longed for as capital
KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) – An intersection in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk paints a vivid picture of the Kurds’ rapid turn of fortune. The towering statue of a fighter who used to brandish a Kurdish sunburst flag now holds the red, white and black o…
Plastics mines? Europe struggles as pollution piles up
OSLO (Reuters) – Europe has sent just over half the plastic waste it used to ship to China to other parts of Asia since Beijing’s environmental crackdown closed the world’s biggest recycling market in January. The knotty problem is what to do with the …
Monsoon threat looms for Rohingya camps
(Reuters) – Aid agencies face a “narrowing window” to prepare Rohingya refugee camps in southern Bangladesh for life-threatening floods in the approaching monsoon season, the aid coordinating group said this week.
Exclusive: Malaysia’s Mahathir to appoint adviser to recover 1MDB funds – sources
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s newly-elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad plans to appoint a finance ministry adviser who will oversee efforts to recover billions of dollars allegedly stolen from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), two sources told Reuters.
Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at Bush stands for parliament
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – An Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during a news conference a decade ago is standing for parliament, campaigning against corruption and the sectarianism that has plagued his country.
Kremlin says changing law to allow Putin another term in office not on agenda
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Friday that a suggestion by regional lawmakers to change the constitution to allow President Vladimir Putin to serve another presidential term when his current term ends in 2024 was not on Putin’s agenda.
South Korea says trying to verify complaints by North Korea waitress ‘defectors’
SEOUL (Reuters) – Several North Korean waitresses who arrived in South Korea in 2016 in a group of 13 defectors have said they were coerced into leaving, and a South Korean ministry that handles ties with the North said on Friday it was trying to verif…
