Trump talked about US leaving NATO
HuffPost
President Donald Trump has made his disdain of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, amply clear. He’s lambasted the decades-old alliance as “obsolete,” erroneously accused other members of owing the U.S. money and even came close last summer to threatening to withdraw America from the alliance if other members didn’t increase their defense spending.
Trump reportedly told NATO allies at a July summit that the U.S. would “go it alone” unless they boosted their financial contributions. He later appeared to soften his tone, however, reaffirming America’s “very strong” commitment to NATO.
Chinese dissidents in Taiwan airport limbo for over 100 days
AFP, Taipei
Chinese dissident Liu Xinglian marked his 64th birthday on Wednesday at Taiwan’s Taoyuan airport, one of two refugees who have been trapped in limbo there for more than 100 days, hoping for asylum overseas.
Their case has parallels with that of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, the Saudi teen who was given sanctuary in Canada after she sensationally deployed social media to shame Thai authorities against forcibly returning her to her family.
US, Britain conduct first joint drills in South China Sea
Reuters, Tokyo
The United States and Britain have conducted their first joint naval drills in the disputed South China Sea since China built island bases there, the two navies said on Wednesday, as Washington seeks help from allies to keep pressure on Beijing.
A U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer the USS McCampbell, which is based in Japan, and a Royal Navy frigate, HMS Argyll, which is on a tour of Asia, conducted communication drills and other exercises from Friday to Wednesday “to address common security priorities”, the U.S. Navy said in a press release.
Surge in piracy off West Africa in 2018
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Pirate attacks rose worldwide in 2018 due to a surge off West Africa, a maritime watchdog said Wednesday, calling for increased international cooperation to halt the spate of hijackings and kidnappings.
There were 201 recorded incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery last year, up from 180 in 2017, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in its annual piracy report.
Prominent Zimbabwe govt critic arrested
AP, Harare
Zimbabwe police armed with AK-47 rifles arrested Evan Mawarire, an activist and pastor, from his home in the capital, Harare, on Wednesday morning as a crackdown grew over protests against dramatic fuel price hikes in the economically shattered country. He was clutching a Bible when police bundled him into their car.
Mawarire organized what became nationwide anti-government protests in 2016 against government mismanagement and then-President Robert Mugabe’s long stay in power.
