Vietnam oil executives apologize to Communist Party in corruption trial
HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnamese executives on trial for losses at a scandal-hit state oil firm used their final statement in court on Wednesday to apologize to the ruling Communist Party, media said, as Vietnam’s biggest corruption trial for years draws t…
Czech government approves resignation after losing confidence vote
PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis approved its resignation on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said, a compulsory move after the minority cabinet lost a confidence vote on Tuesday.
North Korea to send cheerleaders to Olympics but Japan sees little to celebrate
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea will send a 230-strong cheering squad to the Winter Olympics in the South next month, Seoul said on Wednesday after both sides held talks amid a thaw in inter-Korean ties and as Japan urged caution over the North’s “charm …
Myanmar police shoot dead seven protesters in troubled Rakhine
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar police shot dead seven demonstrators, while 12 were injured in troubled Rakhine State, after a local gathering celebrating an ancient Buddhist Arakan kingdom turned violent.
China says it doesn’t need Taiwan’s permission to open new air route
BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) – China said on Wednesday that it does not need Taiwan’s permission to open new air routes, after the self-ruled island complained that a new route over the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the two posed a security and safet…
Japan government tells public broadcaster not to repeat false missile alert
TOKYO (Reuters) – The Japanese government called on public broadcaster NHK on Wednesday to make sure a false alarm warning of a North Korean missile launch will not be repeated, with tensions still high because of the North’s missile and nuclear progra…
Man wanted for ‘terrorist crimes’ killed in eastern Saudi Arabia: agency
DUBAI (Reuters) – Saudi security forces shot and killed a man suspected of involvement in “terrorist crimes” in an exchange of fire in the eastern part of the kingdom, state news agency SPA reported late on Tuesday.
Thai court drops royal insult case over ancient king
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s military court on Wednesday dropped the prosecution of an 85-year-old academic who had been accused of royal insult for questioning the truth of a 17th century elephant-back battle, he and his lawyer said.
Hong Kong democracy leader Joshua Wong jailed a second time for 2014 protest
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, 21, was sentenced to a second jail term of three months on Wednesday for what a judge described as his “leading” role during some of the 2014 pro-democracy “Umbrella Movement” street demon…
Nations to consider more North Korea sanctions, U.S. warns on military option
VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Twenty nations agreed on Tuesday to consider tougher sanctions to press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned Pyongyang it could trigger a military response if it did not choos…
