Cuts hurt Mexico quake response, outlook ahead of 2018 vote
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Spending cuts and a failure by Mexico’s president to upgrade an earthquake alert system hurt life-saving prevention programs and amplified recovery costs after two major temblors this month, current and former government officia…
Iran may drop nuclear deal if U.S. withdraws, foreign minister tells al Jazeera
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran may abandon the nuclear deal it reached with six major powers if the United States decides to withdraw from it, Iranian foreign minister told Qatar’s al Jazeera TV in New York.
Islamic State’s Baghdadi, in undated audio, urges militants to keep fighting
CAIRO (Reuters) – Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has exhorted followers across the world to wage attacks against the West and to keep fighting in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.
Macron’s ideas can bolster Franco-German axis: Merkel
TALLINN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the ideas of French President Emmanuel Macron for reform of the European Union on Thursday and said they could form the basis for intensive Franco-German cooperation.
Islamic State set up Libyan desert army after losing Sirte: prosecutor
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Islamic State militants in Libya set up a desert army composed of at least three brigades after the lost their stronghold of Sirte last year, a senior prosecutor said on Thursday.
Merkel’s conservatives warned not to close off coalition options
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative alliance should avoid making big policy commitments before they start coalition negotiations, potential junior government partners said on Thursday.
Catalan separatists call supporters onto streets for ‘peaceful’ referendum day
BARCELONA (Reuters) – Catalan separatists urged supporters to defy Spanish efforts to block an independence referendum on Sunday, calling for peaceful turnouts at polling stations that police have been ordered to keep shut.
U.S. envoy slams Russia for bid to shield Iran from IAEA inspections
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday slammed a bid by Russia to shield Iran from inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog relating to a specific section of a landmark 2015 deal restricting T…
Brexit talks warmer after May’s speech, but no closure
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union and Britain made progress in the latest round of divorce talks, but not enough to move to the next phase of discussions on a transition period after Brexit or a future trade deal, top negotiators said on Thursday…
Russian hacker wanted by U.S. tells court he worked for Putin’s party
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian hacker arrested in Spain on a U.S. warrant said on Thursday he previously worked for President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and feared he would be tortured and killed if extradited, RIA news agency reported.
