WSJ.com What's News - Worldwide News Briefs for May 08

MACRON'S 'NEW DEAL' FOR EUROPE FACES OLD GERMAN DOUBTS

Emmanuel Macron's big idea for Europe is to deepen the euro currency union. But to get what he wants he will first have to convince a skeptical Germany.

TALIBAN GOVERN AFGHAN VILLAGES, MAKING INSURGENTS HARDER TO DISLODGE

The Taliban have expanded their military fight into a drive to administer villages across the country, deepening the formidable challenge U.S.-backed forces face in trying to uproot the insurgency.

CHINA COURT SAYS LAWYER RETRACTS TORTURE CHARGE; WIFE CALLS TRIAL A FARCE

A Chinese court published a civil-liberties lawyer's confession to subversion and retracting of allegations of police torture, at a trial his wife said was a farce and rights groups said cast light on tactics authorities used to discredit legal activists.

CHINESE-NORTH KOREAN VENTURE SHOWS HOW MUCH SANCTIONS CAN MISS

A state-owned Chinese firm and a North Korean company blacklisted for its involvement with weapons of mass destruction had a partnership for nearly a decade to mine for minerals useful in missile production; the Chinese company says the partnership never did much.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR TRUMP IN THE MIDDLE EAST; ANSWERING WILL BE HARD

President Trump has a chance to accomplish something significant in the world's most troubled region: the Middle East. Whether he has the skill, patience or simple good luck to do so is another question, Gerald F. Seib writes.

U.S. PACIFIC FLEET COMMANDER REASSURES ALLIES IN ASIA

America's allies in Asia feel "angst" over security as Washington's commitments come under question, said Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift, adding that he reassures them the U.S. will back up words with action.

INDONESIA PUSHES TO BAN HARD-LINE ISLAMIST GROUP

Indonesia's top security minister said that the government will move to disband a hard-line Islamist group that is seeking to establish a transnational caliphate, as the world's largest Muslim-majority country struggles to contain growing religious divisions.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 08, 2017 17:16 ET (21:16 GMT)