Turkey says U.S. trial of bank executive was political: spokesman
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – The U.S. court that sentenced a Turkish banker to 32 months in prison over his part in a scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions violated the law and the trial was political, Turkish government spokesman Bekir Bozdag said on Thurs…
Taliban emerge from hiding to battle Afghan forces in city near Iran
HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban fighters emerged from hiding in the dead of night to launch attacks in the Afghan city of Farah, battling government forces who thought they had cleared out the insurgents following heavy clashes earlier in the we…
Russian lawmakers postpone bill making U.S. sanctions compliance a crime
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian lawmakers on Thursday voted to postpone the second reading of draft legislation being discussed in the lower house of parliament that would make it a crime to comply with Western sanctions.
EU must defend firms against U.S. Iran sanctions: Macron
SOFIA (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the European Union must protect EU companies doing business with Iran from U.S. sanctions being reimposed over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Grassroots groups herald messy new chapter in Catalan secession bid
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Masked protesters cheer and wave cars through open toll road barriers in a small town south of Barcelona, flying a banner that reads “Welcome to the Catalan Republic”.
Taliban battle Afghan government forces in western city near Iran
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban fighters battled police and troops in the western city of Farah overnight, officials said on Thursday, as security forces struggled to regain control of a city that has been under growing pressure from the m…
Britain slashes top stake on gambling machines to 2 pounds
(Reuters) – Britain will cut the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals to two pounds from the current 100 pounds($136) in a bid to curb problem gambling.
Benghazi’s displaced: a litmus test for Libya
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – With two brothers in jail, the family house gone and her papers lost in the battle for Benghazi, Fatma is finding it hard to restart her life at the other end of Libya but impossible to imagine going back.
China launches first rocket designed by a private company
BEIJING (Reuters) – China launched its first privately developed rocket from a launchpad in northwestern China on Thursday, state media said, the latest milestone in the country’s ambitious space exploration program.
South Korea to play ‘mediator’ to resolve North Korea-U.S. summit doubts: official
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea said on Thursday it would seek to mediate between the United States and North Korea after Pyongyang threatened to pull out of an unprecedented summit between its leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump on June 12 in …
