Trump talks to Saudi crown prince on Iran, oil
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on Friday to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about Middle East stability and the oil market, the White House said, after tensions with Iran prompted a rise in oil prices.
Trump says rejected killing people to retaliate for Iran drone strike
President Donald Trump said on Friday he was about to approve strikes against Iran for the downing of an unmanned U.S. drone, but didn’t like the idea of killing people in retaliation, according to an interview with NBC News.
Erdogan’s chief antagonist seeks a lasting victory in Istanbul
Three months ago Ekrem Imamoglu was a little-known politician in a fringe Istanbul district who was attempting the near-impossible: to unseat Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party from Turkey’s largest city after 25 years in power.
Former Cyprus president Christofias dies at 72
Former Cypriot president Demetris Christofias, the island’s first Communist head of state, died on Friday, authorities said. He was 72.
Pompeo likely to calm tension with India before expected Trump-Modi talks
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will try to soothe increasing friction with India over trade, data flows and arms from Russia during a visit next week and instead focus on strategic ties between the two big democracies, officials said.
Global watchdog give Pakistan until October to curb terror financing
Pakistan has until October to improve its counter-terror financing operations in line with an internationally agreed action plan or face actions against it, a global watchdog said on Friday.
International airlines’ response to FAA on Iran airspace
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency order on Thursday prohibiting U.S. air carriers from flying in Iran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman due to heightened tensions.
Italian government wins confidence vote on economic growth decree
The Italian government won a confidence vote in parliament’s lower house on Friday paving the way for the approval of a bill aimed at boosting growth through tax breaks and investment incentives.
Ethiopia opposition see dangers if 2020 vote delayed
Opposition politicians in Ethiopia are warning against a delay to national elections due in 2020 that would be the first under reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed but are under threat from an explosion of regional ethnic rivalries.
Pence to postpone China policy speech ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting: WSJ
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will postpone his planned speech on China policy next week to avoid stoking additional tensions ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, the Wall Street Journal report…
