German cabinet decides to get rid of lese majeste
BERLIN (Reuters) – The German cabinet on Wednesday decided to abolish the crime of lese majeste almost a year after a comedian was accused of offending a foreign leader after reciting an obscene poem about Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Kazakh leader says to devolve some powers to parliament, cabinet
ALMATY (Reuters) – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will delegate some of his sweeping powers to the Central Asian nation’s parliament and cabinet, he said on Wednesday, a move that could facilitate an eventual political transition.
Death toll from hotel attack in Somalia capital rises to 28: official
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The death toll from a militant attack on Wednesday on a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu has risen to 28, the head of Mogadishu’s ambulance services said.
UK forces escort passing Russian ‘ship of shame’ returning from Syria
LONDON (Reuters) – British armed forces escorted a Russian aircraft carrier dubbed “the ship of shame” by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as it passed through waters close to the English coast on its way back from bombing raids in Syria.
Trump’s top defense and homeland officials to attend Munich Security Conference
BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Homeland Security chief John Kelly will attend the Munich Security Conference in February, and the event’s organizers said on Wednesday they expect other senior U.S. officials to attend also…
Russian planes bomb Islamic State in Syria’s Deir al-Zor: TASS
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Six long-range Russian bombers struck Islamic State targets in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province on Wednesday, the TASS news agency reported, citing Russia’s Defence Ministry.
German G20 policy to stay constant after cabinet changes: spokesman
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s Presidency of the G20 will not be affected by alterations in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet related to changes within the ranks of her Social Democrat (SPD) junior coalition partner.
Woman at center of South Korea scandal shouts out her innocence
SEOUL (Reuters) – The woman at the center of a corruption scandal gripping South Korea angrily protested her innocence on Wednesday, shouting that she had been made to confess as she was forcibly summoned for questioning.
Russian parliament backs draft law easing penalty for domestic violence
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Russian parliament on Wednesday gave its overwhelming backing to a draft law that would ease some penalties for domestic violence, alarming women’s rights campaigners who fear it will encourage abuse.
Trump expected to order temporary ban on refugees
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign executive orders starting on Wednesday that include a temporary ban on most refugees and a suspension of visas for citizens of Syria and six other Middle Eastern and African countri…
