China’s top paper warns party officials against ‘spiritual anesthesia’
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s top newspaper warned Communist Party officials on Thursday not to “pray to God and worship Buddha”, because communism is about atheism and superstition is at the root of many corrupt officials who fall from grace.
Brazil Supreme Court allows Congress last word on removal of lawmakers
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to grant Congress the final word on decisions to remove a sitting politician, conceding a victory to lawmakers fighting to shield themselves from prosecution for corruption.
Joint Strike Fighter plans stolen in Australia cyber attack
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A hacker stole non-classified information about Australia’s Joint Strike Fighter program and other military hardware last year after breaching the network of a defense contractor, the defense industry minister said on Thursday.
Trump resists pressure to soften stance on Iran nuclear deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump finds himself under immense pressure as he considers de-certifying the international nuclear deal with Iran, a move that would ignore warnings from inside and outside his administration that to do so would …
Brazil’s president treated for small coronary blockage
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Michel Temer is being treated for a slight blockage of a coronary artery, his office said on Wednesday, denying a press report that he would undergo an angiogram procedure later this month.
Russia protests to U.S. ‘shameful’ theft of consulate flags
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia protested to the United States on Wednesday after it said Russian flags were stolen from its consulate in San Francisco, a charge that Washington immediately disputed.
Chile’s divided center-left pledges unity for presidential runoff
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Center-left lawmakers in Chile pledged on Wednesday to unify and support a single candidate in any eventual runoff against conservative candidate Sebastian Pinera, who is leading in polls for this year’s presidential race.
Mattis looking to see if changes need to be made after Niger ambush
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that the military was looking into what changes, if any, should be made after an ambush in Niger killed four U.S. soldiers last week.
Trump denies seeking nearly tenfold increase in U.S. nuclear arsenal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied a report from NBC News that he told his national security advisers in July he wanted to increase the country’s nuclear arsenal by nearly tenfold, saying he argued for its modernizat…
Genocide trial against ex-Guatemalan dictator Rios Montt to restart
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt will face a second trial on Friday for genocide, a lawyer for victims said, reviving a case against the strongman accused of ordering massacres of Maya Indians during a long civil …
