Iran moderates eye more gains in run-off parliamentary election
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iranians voted in a second round of parliamentary elections on Friday, with allies of reformist President Hassan Rouhani seeking to wrest more seats from hardliners.
China denies request for Hong Kong visit by U.S. carrier group: Pentagon
WASHINGTON/HONGKONG (Reuters) – China has denied a request for a U.S. carrier strike group led by the USS John C. Stennis to visit to Hong Kong, the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday, amid heightened tensions over China’s territorial claims in the…
North Korea sentences Korean American to 10 years hard labor
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea’s Supreme Court on Friday sentenced a Korean American man to 10 years hard labor for subversion, North Korean media reported, in the latest conviction of a foreigner for crimes against the isolated state.
Finnish NATO membership would lead to crisis with Russia: government report
HELSINKI (Reuters) – If Finland joined NATO it would lead to a serious crisis with neighboring Russia, a report commissioned by the Finnish government said on Friday.
Policeman wounded in Saudi roadside bomb attack: SPA agency
DUBAI (Reuters) – A roadside bomb attack on a police patrol car in al-Ahsa in east Saudi Arabia wounded a policeman on Thursday evening, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Friday.
How France sank Japan’s $40 billion Australian submarine dream
TOKYO/PARIS/SYDNEY (Reuters) – In 2014, a blossoming friendship between Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe looked to have all but sewn up a $40 billion submarine deal. Then French naval contractor DCNS hatched…
Paris police arrest 27 after overnight violence
PARIS (Reuters) – French riot police arrested 27 people during overnight clashes with dozens of youths in central Paris, following a day of protest marches over labor law reforms that turned violent.
Syria calls local truces; U.N. condemns ‘monstrous disregard’ for lives
MOSCOW/BEIRUT – (Reuters) – Syria declared brief local truces near Damascus and in one province on Friday but made no mention of halting combat on the main battlefield in Aleppo, after a surge in fighting the United Nations said showed “monstrous disr…
Russia, U.S. agree ‘regime of silence’ in Syria from midnight on Friday: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia and the United States have agreed a “regime of silence” in Syria from midnight on Friday, RIA news agency cited a diplomatic source as saying.
South African court orders review of decision to drop Zuma charges
PRETORIA (Reuters) – South Africa’s High Court ruled on Friday that a decision seven years ago to drop 783 corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was irrational and should be reviewed, another setback for the scandal-ridden leader who faces ca…
