PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte says he might follow Russia’s example and withdraw from the International Criminal Court, where his critics say he could be charged over the thousands killed in his war on illegal drugs. Duterte also said the United Nations has been useless in stopping wars. He said if China and Russia decide to create a new world order, he would be the first to join them and leave the U.N.
MALAYSIA Pro-democracy activists have vowed to go ahead with a massive rally this weekend to demand Prime Minister Najib Razak’s resignation over a financial scandal despite a police ban and fears of clashes with a pro-government group.
JAPAN-US Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will likely seek reassurances that President-elect Donald Trump remains committed to the U.S.-Japan security alliance when the two meet in New York today. During the campaign, Trump said he would demand that allies such as Japan and South Korea contribute more to the cost of basing U.S. troops in their countries.
AUSTRALIA’s prime minister beat other world leaders to an early call with President-elect Donald Trump by getting his cellphone number from Greg Norman, the golfing great said.
INDONESIA An Indonesian court has sentenced an American man to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of drug smuggling. Philip Russell was sentenced by the District Court in Semarang, Central Java. A court spokesman said that 56-year-old Russell was arrested with seven other people in possession of 97 kg of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside 54 electrical generators from China that were stored in a workshop.
TUNISIA People who faced abuses under decades of authoritarian rule are publicly airing their grievances to a special commission seeking to reconcile lingering tensions after a democratic revolution. More than 62,000 complaints have been filed to the Truth and Dignity Commission since its creation in 2013, and the first public hearing will be televised today.
YEMEN Amid more clashes, the Shiite rebels confirmed their endorsement of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire deal previously announced by Secretary of State John Kerry. However, the backing of the deal by Yemeni rebels, also known as Houthis, was a moot point since Yemen’s internationally-recognized government has already dismissed the plan as “unilateral.”
BRITAIN’s Prince William has praised Vietnam, China and other Asian countries for taking unprecedented steps to battle wildlife trafficking but says the truth is that rhinos, elephants, pangolins and lions are still being killed in horrifying numbers.
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