German minister’s pledge to reform military fails to stem criticism
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s defense minister on Wednesday promised to reform the military after the arrest of soldiers accused of plotting to carry out an attack motivated by right-wing extremism, but her pledge failed to quell growing criticism of he…
Philippines’ Duterte picks general, running mate and ‘sexy’ dancer for government posts
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte beefed up his administration by naming his military chief and his running mate as ministers on Wednesday, and appointing a racy dancer known for lambasting journalists to his communications team.
U.S. criticizes Russian build-up near Baltic states
PABRADE TRAINING AREA, Lithuania (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that a Russian missile deployment near the Baltic states was “destabilizing”, and officials suggested the United States could deploy a Patriot missile batt…
Fighting addiction at a Thai monastery
A high-paying job in Germany’s tech sector gave him money and prestige, but his life was spiraling out of control. A cocaine addiction had pushed him to the brink of suicide.
U.S. lawmakers not backing down on human rights for Tibet, Pelosi says
DHARAMSALA, India (Reuters) – Top U.S. lawmakers delivered a blunt message to China on Wednesday that they would not relent in their campaign to protect human rights in Tibet, calling for legislative and trade steps to press home their point.
NATO assessing request for more troops to Afghanistan
LONDON (Reuters) – NATO is assessing a request from the alliance’s military authorities to send more troops to Afghanistan and will make a decision on the scale and scope of the mission within weeks, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday…
After Macron win, France’s main parties fret over parliament elections
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s Socialist Party and the wider political Left splintered on Wednesday as centrist Emmanuel Macron’s presidential victory triggered power-struggles between moderates and hardliners ahead of June parliamentary elections.
Jailing of Jakarta’s Christian governor reverberates across Indonesia
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Hundreds of supporters of Jakarta’s Christian governor sang patriotic songs outside the Indonesian capital’s City Hall on Wednesday to protest his imprisonment for blasphemy after a trial that drew concerns over rising religious int…
Thousands flee Congo conflict, swelling villages over border in Angola
LUANDA (Reuters) – Thousands of people have fled fighting in Democratic Republic of Congo over the past month and sought refuge in neighboring Angola, a provincial governor said, an exodus that is straining resources in villages along the border.
Philippines’ Duterte says cannot scrap mining law
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday the government cannot scrap an existing mining law but added that he wants to implement stricter measures.
