Trump administration tightens Iran sanctions, Tehran hits back
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran, which it said were just “initial steps” and said Washington would no longer turn a “blind eye” to Iran’s hostile actions.
U.S. conference on Libya postponed over Trump travel ban: organizers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A high-profile conference on Libya planned for mid-February in Washington has been postponed, the organizers said on Friday, citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, incl…
Abadi fends off calls by Iran allies in Iraq to react to Trump travel ban
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s prime minister has squashed a move by pro-Iranian factions in his government who wanted to retaliate against President Donald Trump’s travel ban. The struggle shows the difficult position the Iraqi leader finds himself in – pulled between his most powerful neighbor and the United States under Trump.
French soldier shoots, wounds machete-wielding attacker at Paris Louvre
PARIS (Reuters) – A French soldier shot and seriously wounded a man armed with machetes who attacked him on Friday near the entrance to the Paris Louvre museum shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest), in what President Francois Hollande said was a terr…
Divided on Trump, EU insists on European unity
VALLETTA (Reuters) – European Union leaders said they agreed to stick together in dealing with Donald Trump, but at their first summit since he took office they were at odds on how far to confront or engage with the new U.S. president.
EU founders speak of possible ‘multispeed’ future after Brexit
VALLETTA (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leaders of other founding states of the European Union spoke on Friday of some countries moving ahead faster than others with further integration.
Romania’s ombudsman challenges graft decree, mass protests enter fourth day
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s ombudsman has challenged in the Constitutional Court a cabinet decree passed earlier in the week decriminalizing some graft offences, in an apparent watering down of an anti-corruption drive that sparked mass protests an…
EU leaders back Libyans to curb new migrant wave
VALLETTA (Reuters) – European Union leaders placed a bet on Libya’s fragile government to help them prevent a new wave of African migrants this spring, offering Tripoli more money and other assistance to beef up its frontier controls.
Kazakh leader demotes ally seen as succession candidate
ALMATY (Reuters) – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev sacked influential deputy prime minister Imangali Tasmagambetov on Friday and appointed him as ambassador to Russia, diminishing his chances of one day taking over the top job.
Conservative Fillon fights to stay in French presidential race
(Reuters) – Francois Fillon clung to his role as France’s conservative presidential candidate on Friday amid worsening opinion poll ratings and speculation about his ability to carry on after accusations his wife got public money for work she did not d…
