Disparate crises distract from Obama bid to sign off on Asia shift
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) – Barack Obama starts his last trip to Asia on Saturday as U.S. president, aiming to put a final stamp on his signature policy shift toward the Pacific but distracted by crises ranging from Brexit to the battle against Is…
China says developing new type of long-range bomber
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is developing a new long-range bomber, the head of the Chinese air force was quoted as saying in state media on Friday, the latest move in its ambitious military modernization program.
U.S. imposes sanctions on ‘Putin’s bridge’ to Crimea
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Companies building a multi-billion dollar bridge to link the Russian mainland with annexed Crimea, a project close to the heart President Vladimir Putin, were targeted by the United States in an updated sanctions blacklist…
After sweeping into northern Syria, Turkey faces hard choices
JARABLUS, Syria (Reuters) – Flashing victory signs and firing in the air, the young rebels who took this Syrian town from Islamic State a week ago may be jubilant, but their ability to hold territory will hinge on Turkey’s appetite for keeping its forc…
Turkey’s president says more changes possible in cabinet
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that there could be more changes in government after the resignation of the interior minister this week, but said he had not been informed of any specific moves by Prime Minister Binali…
U.S., others agreed ‘secret’ exemptions for Iran after nuclear deal: think tank
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its negotiating partners agreed “in secret” to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year’s landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanct…
U.S. disputes political motive for prosecuting Macau billionaire
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. prosecutors have dismissed as “inflammatory nonsense” a Macau billionaire’s claims that he is being prosecuted in connection with a U.N. bribery scheme for geopolitical reasons to slow China’s influence over developing nations…
Venezuelan opposition floods Caracas in vast anti-Maduro protest
CARACAS (Reuters) – Opponents of President Nicolas Maduro flooded Venezuela’s capital on Thursday in one of the biggest mass protests against socialist rule for more than a decade.
U.S. troops in Iraq increasingly active as Mosul battle nears
GREAT ZAB RIVER, Iraq (Reuters) – Kurdish Peshmerga forces retook a swath of northern Iraq late last month from Islamic State and days later American forces appeared in the area, the latest sign of increasing U.S. military activity in the country.
Merkel, under pressure, stresses need to deport failed asylum-seekers
BERLIN (Reuters) – In a sharp change of tone, Chancellor Angela Merkel wants German authorities to accelerate the deportation of foreigners who are denied asylum, in response to growing public fears over the soaring numbers of migrants, members of parl…
