Pope issues stinging criticism of Myanmar’s treatment of Rohingya
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis issued a stinging criticism of atrocities against Myanmar’s Rohingya minority on Wednesday, saying they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to live their culture and Muslim faith.
German agency working to clear backlog of 435,000 asylum cases
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s migration agency hopes to clear a backlog of 435,000 asylum cases within months, the organization’s new director said in an interview with Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper on Wednesday.
Japan’s Abe hopes promises on jobs, defense will temper Trump’s tone on trade
TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads to Washington on Thursday hoping promises to help create U.S. jobs and bolster Japan’s military will persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to turn down the heat on trade and currency and stand…
Searches in Germany, Britain focused on Islamist suspects: prosecutor
BERLIN (Reuters) – German authorities searched homes and other properties in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia and Britain on Wednesday to gather evidence about two suspects believed to have supported the Islamist group “Jabhat al-Nusra,” the …
Shanty town fire in Philippines leaves 15,000 homeless
MANILA (Reuters) – A massive fire swept through a crowded shanty town near the docks in Manila, destroying houses and leaving 15,000 people homeless, authorities in the Philippine capital said on Wednesday.
Australian security law watchdog urges scrapping of indefinite detention
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia said on Wednesday it would consider recommendations from its security law watchdog to do away with rules allowing for indefinite detention for terror-related convictions, which the agency said was “a step too far”.
China invites Britain to attend new Silk Road summit: sources
BEIJING/LONDON (Reuters) – China has invited British Prime Minister Theresa May to attend a major summit in May on its “One Belt, One Road” initiative to build a new Silk Road, diplomatic sources told Reuters, as London said she would visit China this …
South Africa’s Zuma to deploy 400 soldiers at state address
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has authorized more than 400 soldiers to join the security team at his annual state of the nation speech this week, drawing outrage from opponents who called it “militarization”.
Erdogan, Trump agree to act together on Syria’s al-Bab, Raqqa: Turkish sources
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call overnight to act together regarding the Islamic State controlled Syrian towns of al-Bab and Raqqa, Turkish presidential sources said on Wednesday…
More violence, arrests in Paris suburbs overnight: police
PARIS (Reuters) – French police arrested a dozen people in a fourth straight night of confrontation with youths in suburbs north of Paris, with tension sparked by accusations of police violence spreading to new areas, a police representative said.
