China says U.S. should look to rights problems closer to home
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Thursday that the United States would be better to look to problems on its own doorstep rather than criticizing China over human rights, after Washington repeated a call to release a well-known Chinese lawyer.
Australian man could face death penalty in China drug trial
GUANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – An Australian man faced a possible death sentence on Thursday on charges of attempting to smuggle millions of dollars worth of drugs out of China.
France’s Marine Le Pen gambles with political patricide
PARIS (Reuters) – By pushing her maverick father out of the far-right party he founded four decades ago, French National Front leader Marine Le Pen is banking on an act of political patricide to ensure he does not end up ruining her bid for power.
Two Egyptian policemen killed by smugglers in Sinai: government statement
Ismailia (Egypt) (Reuters) – Two Egyptian police recruits were killed on Thursday after exchanging fire with smugglers at a border post in the volatile Northern Sinai region, the Interior Ministry said.
Banned in Syria, Muslim Brotherhood members trickle home
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Hundreds of members of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood have returned from exile, hoping to rebuild a movement which was crushed decades ago at home and is deemed a terrorist organization by leading Arab states.
South Korea opposes Japan’s bid for heritage status of industrial sites
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea on Thursday condemned as “historic distortion” an effort by Japan to register 19th century industrial facilities as U.N. world heritage sites, urging full disclosure of Japan’s use of Korean forced labor at some of them.
Singapore teen pleads not guilty over blog critical of former premier Lee
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A Singapore teenager pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of spreading obscene images and offending a religious group, but was not required to enter a plea on a harassment charge for comments he made about late former premier…
China military says some not taking graft fight seriously
BEIJING (Reuters) – There are some in China’s armed forces, the largest in the world, who are not taking the fight against corruption seriously, brushing problems under the carpet and not daring to go after senior officers, its official paper said on T…
Chile president to reshuffle entire cabinet as popularity falls
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile President Michelle Bachelet said she will reshuffle her entire cabinet in the next few days, a surprise announcement that indicates the depth of her concern about a collapse in her popularity.
King’s changes make Saudi policy less predictable
RIYADH (Reuters) – Changes in Saudi Arabia’s leadership have concentrated power in an inner circle of the Al Saud dynasty, removing constraints on the monarch and making the conservative kingdom’s strategic positions less predictable.
