EU’s new eastern leaders stick to guns on refugees
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The new prime ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic vowed not to give any ground on the divisive issue of hosting refugees as they arrived in Brussels on Thursday for their first summit of European Union leaders.
Iraq hangs 38 Sunni militants in mass execution: justice ministry
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq hanged 38 Sunni Muslim militants on Thursday after they were sentenced to death on terrorism charges, the justice ministry said in a statement.
Austria’s Kurz optimistic on coalition deal with far right by Christmas
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian conservative leader Sebastian Kurz said on Thursday that coalition talks with the far-right Freedom Party were in the “home straight” and a deal on forming a government should be reached by next week.
Putin says U.S. gripped by fabricated spymania, praises Trump
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the United States was in the grip of a fabricated spymania whipped up by President Donald Trump’s opponents but he thought battered U.S.-Russia relations would recover one day.
U.N. probes alleged abduction of North Korean restaurant workers, official says
SEOUL (Reuters) – A senior United Nations human rights official on Thursday said he was investigating North Korea’s allegations that a dozen restaurant workers who arrived in the South from China last year were abducted against their will.
Putin says Russia won’t be dragged into new arms race with U.S.A.
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia would pay proper attention to the development of its army and navy, but it would not be dragged into a new arms race with the United States.
Kenyan police assaulted and raped women during election: rights group
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Several dozen women in Kenya said police officers attacked them during this year’s election season and some said they were raped by men in uniform, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.
U.N. chief says arrest of Reuters journalists shows erosion of press freedom in Myanmar
TOKYO/YANGON (Reuters) – The arrest of two Reuters journalists in Yangon this week was a signal that press freedom is shrinking in Myanmar and the international community must do all it can to get them released, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres …
South Korea’s Moon tries K-Pop and TV stars in China charm offensive
BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in will unveil an array of TV talent and K-Pop celebrities at events, including a state dinner, in China on Thursday as he attempts to smooth out a year of difficult diplomacy with a star-laden …
Putin says will run as independent candidate for new Kremlin term
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking a new term in office in a March election, said on Thursday he would run as an independent candidate while hoping for support from more than one political party.
