Chinese reporters say blocked from Sichuan landslide coverage
XINMO, China (Reuters) – Several Chinese journalists say they were pulled off reporting on the weekend’s landslide in Sichuan on government orders as part of what they called increasing curbs on coverage of natural disasters under President Xi Jinping…
Death toll in London tower block fire rises to 80: police
LONDON (Reuters) – British police believe 80 people died or are missing presumed dead after the Grenfell Tower blaze two weeks ago, but it will be many months before the full death toll is known, the officer leading the investigation said on Wednesday….
Islamic State turned on dissenters as Raqqa assault neared
AIN ISSA, Syria (Reuters) – Islamic State’s leaders used spies to root out suspected enemies in their ranks in the countdown to this month’s U.S.-led attack on their de-facto capital Raqqa, the wives of three Tunisian fighters who fled the Syrian town …
Hong Kong protesters arrested for democracy protest ahead of Xi’s visit
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested pro-democracy protesters, some of whom scrambled up a monument symbolizing the city’s handover from British to Chinese rule, a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive for the…
Iraqi military pushes deeper into Mosul’s Old City
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraq’s military pushed deeper into Mosul’s Old City on Wednesday, taking two more districts from Islamic State and bringing it closer to total control of the city.
U.S.-led coalition envoy visits Syria to discuss Raqqa aftermath
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy to the coalition against Islamic State visited north Syria on Wednesday and met the council planning to run Raqqa after its capture from the jihadists to assure it of support, one of its members s…
North Korea calls for execution of ex-South Korea leader over ‘assassination’ plot
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea said on Wednesday it has issued a standing order for the execution of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her spy chief for what it said was a plot to assassinate its leader, and it demanded that the South hand…
UK may need Brexit transition period, but it will not be unlimited: May
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain may need an implementation period to smooth its exit from the European Union but there will be no unlimited transition, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday.
European Union extends Russia sanctions until Jan 2018
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union formally extended its economic sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, a widely expected step that keeps restrictions on business with Russian energy, defense and financial sectors until Jan. 31, 2018.
‘Profound implications’ if Northern Ireland parties fail to agree deal: Britain
LONDON (Reuters) – There would be “profound and serious” implications if parties in Northern Ireland failed to agree on the creation of a new executive to govern, Britain’s minister for the province said on Wednesday.
