Philippines stresses rights to undersea area amid suspicions about China
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines went on the offensive on Tuesday to assert its sovereign rights over a fishing ground in the Pacific Ocean, stressing a need to protect it after a Chinese survey ship was monitored in the area last year.
Under cover of rain, Islamic State fights for Mosul old city
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – The bombed out, battered streets, homes and buildings around Mosul museum were eerily quiet, other than the hum from the engines of Iraqi forces’ armored vehicles stationed outside.
Turkey rejects European report criticizing constitutional plans
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey on Tuesday rejected a European legal report calling its proposed constitutional changes a big setback for democracy, saying the experts who compiled it had become politicized and the report stained their prestige.
German police raid flats, shut mosque visited by Berlin truck attacker
BERLIN (Reuters) – German authorities on Tuesday raided apartments linked to a mosque in the city of Hildesheim visited by Tunisian failed asylum seeker Anis Amri, who drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December and killed 12 people.
Italy sets date for referendum on vouchers, worker rights
ROME (Reuters) – Italy on Tuesday set the date for a referendum on two labor issues, including the use of vouchers originally meant to fight the illegal employment of seasonal farm laborers, but later used widely for all temporary workers.
No more baseball bats: National Front no longer taboo for French youth
PARIS/LYON (Reuters) – Just a few years ago, it was hard to find students willing to admit to being National Front cardholders. When a journalist went looking for members of the FNJ youth movement during the last presidential election campaign, most wo…
EU headscarf ban ruling sparks faith group backlash
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Companies may ban staff from wearing Islamic headscarves and other visible religious symbols under certain conditions, the European Union’s top court ruled on Tuesday, setting off a storm of complaint from rights groups and religio…
Chinese cruise passengers put patriotism above tourism by skipping South Korean port visit
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – When the Costa Serena cruise ship steamed into the South Korean tourist island of Jeju, Bai Liyun stayed on board, where crew had organized a magic show, games and even a wine-tasting.
Indonesia to probe graft allegations implicating dozens of politicians
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency said it will look into allegations that dozens of politicians siphoned off money causing state losses of up to $170 million in what could be one of the Southeast Asian country’s biggest graft scand…
Nepal bulldozes earthquake survivors’ relief camp in capital
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Police in riot gear stood guard on Tuesday as Nepali civic officials used bulldozers to tear down a relief camp in the capital for victims of the 2015 earthquake, in a bid to force people to return to their home villages.
