Czech judges denounce Poland’s legal overhaul as attack on freedom
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Senior Czech judges denounced a judicial overhaul in Poland as an attack on the rule of law on Friday, saying they could no longer stay silent over the changes in their neighbor.
Taiwan says Chinese aircraft flew near island in military exercise
TAIPEI (Reuters) – China flew several fighter and reconnaissance aircraft near Taiwan in a training exercise, the self-ruled island’s defense ministry said on Friday.
U.S. general urges more German spending to ease military transit
BERLIN (Reuters) – Citing lessons learned from recent big military exercises, the U.S. Army’s top general in Europe urged Germany to spend more on transportation and missile defense to help it meet its NATO target of 2 percent of economic output.
More attacks likely in Southeast Asia after Marawi: report
JAKARTA (Reuters) – As a lengthy, urban battle drags on between Philippine forces and Islamist militants in the southern city of Marawi, a new report by a think-tank has warned of more attacks by radicals in Southeast Asia, including on foreigners.
Australian brokerage says staff being held in Shanghai office
SHANGHAI/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Up to 50 investors have intruded into the central Shanghai offices of an Australian currency brokerage and are holding some of its staff against their will, in protest against losses made on currency trades, the brokerage sa…
Wounded National Front seeks way back after French poll failures
PARIS (Reuters) – Top officials from France’s far-right National Front gather on Friday to find a way back from successive election failures, and senior members said everything from the party’s name to its vow to restore the franc currency were up for …
U.S. State Department to clamp ban on travel to North Korea
WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Friday said it will bar Americans from traveling to North Korea due to the risk of “long-term detention” in the country, where a U.S. student was jailed while on a tour last year and later died.
France’s Macron treads fine line in showing he’s the boss
PARIS (Reuters) – In Emmanuel Macron’s traditional presidential portrait destined to adorn town halls across France, a pair of iPhones and a copy of national hero Charles de Gaulle’s memoirs lie on his desk.
Merkel may win election, but lose her finance minister
SASBACHWALDEN, Germany (Reuters) – Wolfgang Schaeuble has won his parliamentary seat a dozen times, survived an attempt on his life and guided Angela Merkel through the euro zone crisis. Now, the German chancellor may have to sacrifice him to secure a …
Polish senate set to back judicial overhaul, defying protesters and EU
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland’s senate was expected to back new powers letting politicians appoint supreme court judges, defying protesters massed in the streets overnight against what they see as a move toward authoritarian rule.




