Catalan secessionists likely to fail again to elect new regional head
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Catalan secessionist parties are likely to fail for a third time to elect a new regional head on Thursday after the far-left group CUP said it would abstain in a vote of confidence.
Poland plans concessions in judicial reforms to ease EU concerns: lawmaker
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland’s ruling party plans to change parts of its judicial reforms in response to European Commission’s criticism that they will undermine the rule of law, one of the party’s lawmakers said on Thursday.
Italian parties seek parliamentary deal; government talks far away
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and rightist parties are looking to wrap up a deal on who should be appointed as speakers for the new parliament, which opens on Friday after this month’s inconclusive elections.
South Korea ex-president Lee detained on graft charges
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean former president Lee Myung-bak was detained early on Friday on charges of taking bribes when he was in office, becoming the country’s fourth leader to end up behind bars.
Turkey moves to supervise online content, tightens grip on media
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament has approved a bill granting the radio and television watchdog authority to regulate online content, fuelling concerns about further restrictions on the media.
Britain seeks European help against Russian spy networks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Britain is asking other European states to crack down together on Russian spy networks that could be preparing similar attacks to the nerve agent assault on a former Russian spy in England, diplomats said.
Pressure mounts on Macron over arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE
PARIS (Reuters) – Two rights groups have given the French government two months to halt weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates or face legal action, adding to pressure on President Emmanuel Macron to scale back support of a Riyadh-l…
Mattis tells Saudi leader: urgent need to find end to Yemen’s war
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday there was an urgent need to find a political solution to Yemen’s war, as he voiced hope for a U.N. special envoy’s peace efforts and firmly…
Suspect in Palestinian assassination attempt among four dead in Gaza shootout: Hamas
GAZA (Reuters) – Hamas said its security forces in Gaza shot dead on Thursday the main suspect behind an attempt to assassinate the Palestinian prime minister, a bombing that threatens to unravel its reconciliation agreement with the West Bank-based go…
Famous Turkish singer sentenced to 10 months in jail for insulting Erdogan
ANKARA (Reuters) – A famous Turkish singer and actress has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for insulting President Tayyip Erdogan during a performance in 2016, the Hurriyet newspaper said on Thursday.
