Trump takes sides in Arab rift, suggests support for isolation of Qatar
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump took sides in a deep rift in the Arab world on Tuesday, praising Middle East countries’ actions against American ally Qatar over Islamist militants even though the tiny Gulf state hosts the largest U.S…
U.S.-backed force launches assault on Islamic State’s ‘capital’ in Syria
HUKOUMIYA, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) – The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Tuesday it had launched a battle to capture Raqqa, Islamic State’s de facto Syrian capital, piling pressure on the jihadists whose self-declared caliphate is in …
U.N. rights boss says end of Israeli occupation would benefit both sides
GENEVA (Reuters) – The top United Nations human rights official called on Tuesday for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, saying it would benefit both sides after 50 years of enmity.
Trump UK state visit to go ahead despite criticism of London mayor: foreign minister
LONDON (Reuters) – British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Tuesday he saw no reason to cancel Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain after the U.S. president criticized Mayor Sadiq Khan’s response to the London Bridge killings.
Two days from UK election, security dominates campaign after London attack
LONDON (Reuters) – Two days from a national election, Britain’s ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour Party battled to defend their records on security after an Islamist attack that killed seven people in London upended the campaign.
Trump’s ‘been clear to me’ to try to rebuild Russia ties: Tillerson
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump told his top diplomat that the dispute over probes into links between his inner circle and Russia should not undermine U.S. efforts to rebuild relations with Moscow, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sa…
Kabul truck-bomb toll rises to more than 150 killed: Afghan president
KABUL (Reuters) – The death toll from a truck-bomb explosion in Kabul last week has reached more than 150 people, President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday, making it the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.
Philippine troops find stash of banknotes as fighters pull back
MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Reuters) – Philippines troops found bundles of banknotes and cheques worth about $1.6 million abandoned by Islamist militants holed up in Marawi City, a discovery the military said on Tuesday was evidence that the fighters wer…
Turkey’s Erdogan holds talks with leaders on lowering Qatar tension: sources
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has spoken by phone with the leaders of Qatar, Russia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on lowering tension, presidential sources said, after Arab powers cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Islamist…
Prominent Chinese rights activist charged with subversion after being held six months
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese authorities have formally charged a prominent rights activist with subversion of state power after holding him incommunicado for six months, his wife said on Tuesday.
