Macron gets presidential poll boost as Fillon crisis deepens
PARIS (Reuters) – Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron cemented his status as favourite to win the French presidency on Friday as pressure mounted on his conservative rival, Francois Fillon, to pull out because of a deepening financial scandal.
Philippines’ Duterte will pay price for drugs killings, detained senator says
MANILA (Reuters) – A senator and detained critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs has warned he and his “blind followers” will pay for ignoring alleged extrajudicial killings, and should stop trying to fool the world their crackdo…
China expresses concern about U.S.-South Korea drill
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday said it had expressed concern about a large-scale joint military exercise between South Korean and U.S. troops that began this week.
Saudi King Salman embraces ‘selfie’ on tour across Asia
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has embraced the “selfie”, taking part in a number of light-hearted self-shot pictures and videos during his tour of Asia that contrast with the pomp and formality of most of the octogenarian monarch’s tri…
Saudi king’s Bali beach holiday turns into military exercise
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) – A Bali beach holiday for Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and his considerable entourage has turned into a military exercise for host Indonesia.
China to target young of Taiwan, Hong Kong to boost loyalty
BEIJING (Reuters) – China wants to boost the loyalty of young people from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau by organizing “study trips” and exchanges for them to visit the mainland, a top Chinese official said on Friday.
India to host Dalai Lama in disputed territory, defying China
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian federal government representatives will meet the Dalai Lama when he visits a sensitive border region controlled by India but claimed by China, officials said, despite a warning from Beijing that it would damage ties.
South Korea reviewing China’s actions over missile defense system: Yonhap
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s foreign minister said he was reviewing whether reported Chinese actions over a U.S. missile defense system to be deployed in South Korea violate international norms, Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday.
Samsung chief’s ‘trial of the century’ to start next week
SEOUL (Reuters) – Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee will go on trial for bribery and embezzlement on Thursday, a court said, amid a corruption scandal that has rocked South Korea and led to the impeachment of the president.
Rival Kurdish factions clash in northwestern Iraq
ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Rival Kurdish groups clashed in Iraq’s northwestern Sinjar region on Friday, two Kurdish security sources said, causing deaths on both sides.
