TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) – Japan’s parliament on Friday (June 9) passed a law allowing Emperor Akihito to abdicate, clearing the way for the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in nearly two centuries, and for the accession of his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, probably late next year. In a vote televised live on NHK public television, the upper house of parliament passed the bill 235 to zero opposed, though a handful of lawmakers sat out […]
International
US intelligence contractor pleads not guilty to leaking charge
GEORGIA, United States (Reuters) – A United States intelligence contractor pleaded not guilty on Thursday (June 8) to a charge of leaking a classified report on Russian election interference to a media outlet. Reality Leigh Winner, 25, who was ordered to remain held without bond, is accused of leaking a National Security Agency report to The Intercept, according to officials. The NSA document provided technical details on what it said were Russian attempts to hack […]
Britain’s Labour leader Corbyn calls for PM May to stand down
LONDON, United Kingdom (Reuters) – British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Friday (June 9) it was time for Prime Minister Theresa May to stand down after election results indicated she had lost votes, support and the confidence of voters. “This election was called in order for the prime minister to gain a large majority in order for her to assert her authority,” he said in London. “If there is a message from tonight’s results, […]
US looks to reassure allies as concerns grow about its global role
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) – Senior United States officials said on Monday (June 5) the US, under President Donald Trump was committed to the region, reassuring nervous global partners after pulling out of the global climate pact. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in Sydney after meetings between Australian and US foreign and defense ministers, said the Trump administration should be judged for its actions and not words. Global leaders have said there was growing […]
Rescuers send 29 bodies from missing Myanmar military plane ashore
MYANMAR (Reuters) – Twenty-nine more bodies from a crashed Myanmar military plane were found on Thursday in Dawei City. Rescue work started from Wednesday afternoon in Launglon Town located in the southwestern part of Dawei City, south of Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Province. Apart from naval boats, many civilian boats were used to search the missing people. “Debris of the plane have been found in the area, which was 14 miles from us. The waves in the […]
China says US should play ‘constructive role’ in South China Sea disputes
BEIJING, China (Reuters) – The Chinese Foreign Ministry called on the United States to play a “constructive” role in the South China Sea disputes on Monday (May 6). US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that his country could not allow China to use its economic power to “buy its way out of other problems, whether it’s militarizing islands in the South China Sea or failing to put appropriate pressure on North Korea.” China’s claims in […]
One dead, many injured after bus crash near Atlanta – reports
ATLANTA, United States (Reuters) – One person was killed and at least 21 were injured on Thursday (June 8) when a bus chartered by a church youth group overturned on a major road southwest of Atlanta, Georgia, local media reported. The bus is from a Huntsville, Alabama, church, WSB-TV reported. Forty people were on the bus when the accident occurred, the TV station reported. At last one other vehicle was involved in the crash, local […]
Comey says Trump did not ask him to stop investigation into Russia’s role in US elections
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Reuters) – In the most eagerly anticipated United States congressional hearing in years, former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey told lawmakers that no one in the White House including US President Donald Trump asked him to drop the investigation into Russian interference in the US election. During more than two hours of testimony, Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee he believed Trump had directed him in February to drop an […]
Xi, Putin meet on bilateral ties, SCO development
KAZAKHSTAN (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, pledged in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Thursday to enhance bilateral ties and promote the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The two heads of state met ahead of the 17th SCO summit in Astana. Noting that the SCO is facing new opportunities and challenges for development, Xi said China and Russia should strengthen communication and coordination, firmly observe the […]
Philippine pride shown at PHL Independence Day Celebration in New York
By Percival Cunanan EBC New York/Eagle News Service NEW YORK, USA (Eagle News) — International beauty pageant titleholders and Filipina beauty queens Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, Miss World Megan Young, and Miss International Kyle Versoza; renowned Filipina singer Lani Misalucha; and American Idol star Fil-Am Jessica Sanchez. They were just among the Filipino talents of all ages who came to the 119th Philippine Independence Anniversary Commemoration at the Madison Square Park, Madison Avenue, New […]
When IS reign ends, who will rule Syria’s Raqa?
by Rana Moussaoui with Ayhem Al-Mohammad in Hasakeh Agence France Presse BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — The battle by United States-backed forces to oust the Islamic State group from its Syrian bastion of Raqa will solve one problem but create another: who will then govern the city? The Syrian Democratic Forces Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by Washington is leading the fight for majority-Arab Raqa. But the strategic city is also coveted by Bashar al-Assad’s government and its […]
South Korea’s President orders “military readiness” after North Korea’s missile launch
SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in presided over a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Thursday (June 8), after North Korea fired what appeared to be several land-to-ship missiles off its east coast. The launches, the latest in a fast-paced series of missile tests defying world pressure to rein in its weapons program, came a day after the South postponed full deployment of a controversial U.S. anti-missile system designed to deter a […]





