French presidential candidate Fillon’s popularity dips: poll
PARIS (Reuters) – Some 61 percent of voters have a negative opinion of French presidential election candidate Francois Fillon, according to an opinion poll carried out after the publication of allegations that he paid his wife for a fake job.
Trump’s hopes for Syria safe zones may force decision on Assad
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s push to create safe zones in Syria could force him to make some risky decisions about how far to go to protect refugees, including shooting down Syrian or Russian aircraft or committing thousands of U.S. …
German population hits record high of 82.8 million due to migrants
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s population grew by some 600,000 last year to reach a record high of 82.8 million people due to the number of migrants who have arrived in the country, the Federal Statistics office said on Friday.
Indonesia detains former finance official for suspected IS links
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A former Indonesian finance ministry official has been detained on his return home after being deported from Turkey for trying to cross into Syria on suspicion of intending to join Islamic State, Indonesian authorities said on Frida…
Legal woes weigh on Rome’s mayor and her 5-Star Movement
ROME (Reuters) – Virginia Raggi was heralded last year as a poster child for Italy’s 5-Star Movement, her election as mayor of the capital holding out the prospect of future triumph for the group at a national level.
UK to respect EU rules as it strengthens trade ties around world: Hammond
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Britain will respect its obligations under European Union treaties while it seeks to strengthen trade ties with world partners, the British finance minister said on Friday.
Russia’s Lavrov says talks on Syria in Geneva postponed
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that talks on the Syria crisis in Geneva had been postponed from February 8.
Somalia’s al Shabaab says kills dozens of Kenyan troops in raid on base
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The Islamist group al Shabaab said on Friday its fighters killed dozens of Kenyan troops when they attacked a remote military base in Somalia the previous day, a claim the Kenyan army denied.
South Korean, U.S. Marines tussle in snow in what North brands ‘madcap’ drill
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) – South Korean and U.S. Marines are conducting military exercises on ski slopes in sub-freezing temperatures, including shirtless hand-to-hand combat in the snow, prompting warnings of retaliation from North Korea ove…
I’m no Trump, says battle-hardened sponsor of Miss Universe in Manila
MANILA (Reuters) – Luis Singson, a larger-than-life Filipino tycoon who has brought the Miss Universe pageant to Manila, has much in common with the man who owned the franchise two years ago: U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
