Pence avoids Olympics encounter with North Korean official as Korean athletes march together
SEOUL/PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made only a brief appearance at a reception marking the start of the Winter Olympics on Friday, avoiding a potentially awkward encounter with the ceremonial leader of North Korea…
Shoot me, don’t jail me, Philippines’ Duterte tells Hague court prosecutor
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday told the International Criminal Court (ICC) to go ahead and investigate him for crimes against humanity, and said he would prefer to face a firing squad than be jailed.
Bombing at mosque in Libya’s Benghazi kills one, wounds 37: residents
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – One person was killed and 37 wounded by a twin bombing inside a mosque in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Friday, medics said.
EU’s Barnier warns Britain post-Brexit transition ‘not a given’
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A post-Brexit transition is “not a given”, the European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Britain on Friday, saying London had raised “substantial” issues with the adaptation period as proposed by the bloc.
France demands end to Syria air strikes as more hit rebel-held Ghouta
BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) – France demanded an end to air strikes in Syria on Friday as warplanes mounted further attacks on a rebel stronghold near Damascus where a war monitor said government bombardments have killed 229 people, the deadliest week in th…
EU’s Barnier says no update from Britain on Brexit
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Friday that he had received no update from London on what sort of relation it wanted with the bloc after Brexit.
Italy’s League leaves northern bastions, bangs anti-migrant drum
HERCULANEUM, Italy (Reuters) – The rightist Northern League once derided southern Italy as a crime-riddled, parasitic wasteland. It now sees it as a vote-rich territory that could help lead it to victory in next month’s national election.
Thai groups consider new political parties ahead of November vote
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Representatives of 114 political groups met Thailand’s election panel on Friday, in one of the first signs the country is readying for a general election the junta has promised to hold in November, with many pledging support for the…
Explosion at mosque in Libyan city of Benghazi: residents
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – An explosion took place at a mosque in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Friday, residents said.
China says new stealth fighter put into combat service
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has put into combat service its new generation J-20 stealth fighter, a warplane it hopes will narrow the military gap with the United States, the Chinese air force said on Friday, making it operationally ready.
