With image aides and viral tweets, France’s Le Pen targets power
PARIS (Reuters) – Every week, a small group of Marine Le Pen’s aides brainstorm on how to achieve what many say is impossible: change how most French people view her to get her elected president in May.
Breakfast at Duterte’s: Abe samples Philippine leader’s simple style
MANILA (Reuters) – Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe feasted on bean soup and rice cakes at the humble home of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, and sampled the down-to-earth living of a volatile new friend who is shaking up the status quo …
Korean minister says ‘comfort woman’ statue outside Japan mission inappropriate
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s foreign minister said on Friday there was nothing wrong with erecting a statue in memory of women forced to work in Japanese brothels in World War Two, but its location outside a Japanese consulate was inappropriate.
El Salvador to strengthen ties with Taiwan during Tsai’s visit
SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador said on Thursday it will strengthen ties with Taiwan as President Tsai Ing-wen visits Central America at a time when China suspects she is seeking formal independence from the mainland.
Chinese tabloid says U.S. needs to ‘wage war’ to block off South China Sea islands
BEIJING (Reuters) – Blocking Chinese access to islands in the South China Sea would require the U.S. to “wage war”, an influential Chinese state-run tabloid said on Friday, after U.S. Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson suggested the strategy on W…
Expenses scandal an embarrassing start to 2017 for Australia’s embattled PM
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s health minister stepped down temporarily on Monday to allow auditors to scour her expense accounts after she bought an investment apartment while on a work trip, an embarrassing start to the year for embattled Prime Minis…
China says protectionist Trump may limit growth of its exports
BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump may limit the growth of China’s exports by imposing greater trade protectionist measures, China’s customs agency said on Friday.
Former U.N. chief Ban second in South Korea presidential poll
SEOUL (Reuters) – Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon polled second in a survey of South Korean presidential favorites released on Friday, 11 percentage points behind former opposition leader Moon Jae-in, who led the Gallup Korea poll at 31 perce…
Australia says TPP not dead, despite Trump opposition
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia has declared the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) not dead ahead of key trade talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sydney on Saturday, despite opposition to the trade pact from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
South Korea prosecutor to decide ‘soon’ whether to seek arrest warrant for Samsung’s Lee
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s special prosecutors’ office said on Friday it will decide “soon” whether to seek a warrant to arrest Samsung Group [SAGR.UL] leader Jay Y. Lee, who was questioned for more than 22 hours over suspicions including bribery….
