Ex pope Benedict says he is in the last phase of his life
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Former pope Benedict said in a letter published in an Italian newspaper on Wednesday that he is in the last phase of life and on a “pilgrimage towards home”.
Exclusive: Facing Trump’s demands, NATO to consider larger Iraq training mission
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The United States is renewing pressure on its European NATO allies to establish a long-term train-and-advise mission in Iraq, diplomats said, reviving a divisive issue for an alliance wary after more than a decade in Afghanistan.
Pence says U.S. to announce new, tough sanctions on North Korea
TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday that Washington would soon announce new, tough sanctions to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, calling it the planet’s “most tyrannical and oppressive reg…
Merkel’s conservatives, SPD clinch coalition agreement: sources
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed on a formal coalition deal, a conservative politician and a source involved in the negotiations said on Wednesday.
At least five killed, 60 missing after quake rocks Taiwan tourist area
HUALIEN, Taiwan (Reuters) – Rescuers combed through the rubble of collapsed buildings on Wednesday, as they searched for about 60 people missing after a strong earthquake killed at least five near the popular Taiwanese tourist city of Hualien overnight…
Maldives ex-president says top court judge ill-treated in prison
MALE/COLOMBO (Reuters) – The exiled former president of the Maldives on Wednesday accused authorities of ill-treatment of a supreme court judge thrown into prison following the imposition of emergency in the Indian Ocean island nation.
All Iranian militia, including Hezbollah, must leave Syria: French minister
PARIS (Reuters) – French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday that all Iranian militia, including Hezbollah, must leave Syria, whose civil war has thrown the Middle East into turmoil.
U.N. rights chief slams Indonesia proposal to outlaw gay, extramarital sex
JAKARTA (Reuters) – The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday criticized proposals in Indonesia’s parliament to criminalize gay sex and extramarital sex, saying such laws could hurt the country’s beleaguered LGBT community and other minoritie…
Tokyo court orders Tepco to pay $10 million in damages over 2011 disaster: media
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Tokyo court on Wednesday ordered Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) to pay around 1.1 billion yen ($10 million) to a group of Fukushima residents, local media reported, nearly seven years after the company’s reactor meltdowns in northeast…
North Korean leader’s sister to visit South Korea for winter Olympics
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s 28-year-old sister will make her debut on the world stage when she visits South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on Friday, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said.
