Thai activists urge release of man detained over Facebook post
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai activists on Monday demanded the release of a man arrested for sharing an infographic on Facebook detailing alleged graft in an army-built park, saying plainclothes security officers took him by force.
Puerto Rico governor says won’t seek re-election
SAN JUAN (Reuters) – Puerto Rico’s unpopular governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla on Monday said he would not seek a second four-year term in next November’s election, as he turns his attention squarely to solving the island’s $72 billion debt crisis.
Kerry to explore Assad’s future, Syria peace process in Kremlin talks
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will use talks in Moscow on Tuesday to try and narrow differences with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over the role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in any political transition, a senior State Depa…
Trial of China rights lawyer lasts three hours, police block court access
BEIJING (Reuters) – The trial of one of China’s most high profile human rights lawyers on charges of inciting ethnic hatred and provoking trouble lasted just three hours on Monday, with police blocking diplomats, foreign reporters and protesters from t…
Tepid pro-impeachment rallies give Brazil’s president respite
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Low turnout at pro-impeachment rallies on Sunday provided some respite for President Dilma Rousseff but the real test of the popular mood will come when Brazil returns from its summer holidays in March to face a deepening recession…
French teacher ‘invented’ story about Islamist attack
PARIS (Reuters) – A report from a French schoolteacher that he had been assaulted by a self-styled Islamist militant on Monday, causing classes to be canceled and an anti-terrorism investigation, turned out to be “invented”, investigators said.
Burundi starts trial of May coup plotters, days after fighting
NAIROBI (Reuters) – More than two dozen generals and senior army officers accused of being behind a failed coup went on trial in Burundi on Monday amid heightened tensions in the capital after attacks last week by insurgents in which about 90 people we…
Obama: faster progress needed against Islamic State
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday progress needs to speed up against Islamic State militants, calling on allies to increase their military contributions to coalition efforts to destroy the group in Iraq and Syria.
Palestinian motorist rams Jerusalem pedestrians, shot dead
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A Palestinian motorist rammed into a bus stop in Jerusalem on Monday, injuring at least 11 people before he was shot dead, Israeli police said, in the latest in a surge of street attacks.
With change of tone, EU warms to Turkey, Serbia membership bids
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union revived Turkey’s membership bid on Monday and opened accession talks with Serbia, showing how a migration crisis and Russia’s presence in the Balkans has prompted the EU to rethink plans to stop expanding.
