Hong Kong releases 26 arrested ahead of visit by China leader
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police on Friday released 26 pro-democracy protesters arrested on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the city to mark the 20th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.
China builds new military facilities on South China Sea islands: think tank
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China has built new military facilities on islands in the South China Sea, a U.S. think tank reported on Thursday, a move that could raise tensions with Washington, which has accused Beijing of militarizing the vital waterway.
Indonesia’s gay community driven underground after police raids
JAKARTA (Reuters) – When an angry mob of Islamists threatened to burn down a place hosting a gay and lesbian film festival in Jakarta in 2010, Indonesian police came to protect those staging it.
Merkel issues warning to Trump ahead of G20 summit
BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to fight for free trade and press on with multilateral efforts to combat climate change at the G20 summit next week, challenging the “America First” policies of U.S. President Donal…
Chemical weapons watchdog says sarin used in April attack in Syria
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The world’s chemical weapons watchdog said the banned nerve agent sarin was used in an attack in northern Syria in April that killed dozens of people, a report from a fact-finding team seen by Reuters on Thursday showed.
U.S. plans to sell Taiwan about $1.42 billion in arms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States plans to sell Taiwan $1.42 billion in arms, the first such sale under the administration of Donald Trump and a move sure to anger China, whose help the president has been seeking to rein in North Korea.
Woman under investigation in 1980s child murder case gripping France
STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) – A woman was put under formal investigation in France on Thursday over the murder of a four-year-old boy more than 30 years ago, reviving memories of an infamous case.
Mexican president Pena Nieto to meet with Trump at G20
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto will meet with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump next week at the G20 summit in Germany, the Mexican foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Khamenei’s representative says Islamic state’s Baghdadi ‘definitely dead’: IRNA
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s state news agency quoted a representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday as saying Islamic State’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was “definitely dead”.
Man tries to drive car into crowd in front of French mosque
PARIS (Reuters) – A man was arrested after trying to drive a car into a crowd in front of a mosque in the Paris suburb of Creteil on Thursday, police said, adding that no one was injured.
