Chinese police release video of rights activist to refute torture claim
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese police released a video on Thursday of detained human rights activist Jiang Tianyong to refute what it described as rumors he had been tortured, though Jiang’s wife said the clip had not assuaged fears for her husband’s safe…
U.N. says 200,000 more people could flee Mosul as fighting intensifies
ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Thursday up to 200,000 more people could flee Mosul as Iraqi forces push into the last districts held by Islamic State militants.
Honey Moon? New South Korean leader’s popularity surges with common man touch
SEOUL (Reuters) – He removes his own jacket, brushing off an aide who tried to take it off like a butler. He takes questions from journalists without vetting them first. He gets a $3 lunch with employees at a Blue House cafeteria and tweets about his a…
Ex-South Korea leader’s plastic surgeon guilty in first scandal conviction
SEOUL (Reuters) – A South Korean cosmetic surgeon received a suspended 18-month jail term on Thursday for fabricating records of his treatment of Park Geun-hye when she was president, the first conviction related to a scandal that brought her down.
Australian tax chief faces charges after son’s cars, guns and money fraud romp
SYDNEY (Reuters) – One of Australia’s top anti-fraud tax officials faces charges after his son and eight friends were arrested in raids that netted cash, luxury cars, two small planes, guns and vintage wine in a A$165 million tax fraud, police said on …
Turkey ready to retaliate against any threats, Erdogan warns
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey is ready to retaliate if it faces a threat from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and will not shirk from launching a military campaign if need be, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
South Korea’s Moon joins protest song at commemoration in nod to liberal values
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea marked the anniversary of a pro-democracy uprising on Thursday with new President Moon Jae-in leading a large crowd in singing an iconic song of protest, a symbolic closure to nearly a decade of conservative rule.
Former FBI chief Mueller appointed to probe Trump-Russia ties
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department, in the face of rising pressure from Capitol Hill, named former FBI chief Robert Mueller on Wednesday as special counsel to investigate alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possib…
Mexico president heads to Guatemala to discuss migration, extradition
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto will travel to Guatemala to meet its leader Jimmy Morales on June 5 and 6, the Mexican president’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Polls suggest parliamentary majority within reach for France’s Macron
PARIS (Reuters) – A parliamentary majority looks to be within reach for centrist French President Emmanuel Macron in next month’s parliamentary election, opinion polls indicated on Thursday, as his cross-partisan government held its first meeting.
