China backs Iran during U.S. tensions
China offered strong support to Iran on Friday, with its top diplomat telling Iran’s foreign minister that China opposes unilateral sanctions and supports Tehran’s efforts to safeguard its interests.
U.S. air strike kills at least 8 police in southern Afghanistan: official
A U.S. air strike killed at least eight policeman in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, a government official said on Friday, the latest casualties from a rise in air and ground operations against the Afghan Taliban.
Iran denies ties to Houthi drone attack on Saudi oil installations
Iran’s foreign ministry on Friday rejected accusations by Saudi Arabia that Tehran had ordered an attack on Saudi oil installations claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia.
Senior China diplomat says China opposes unilateral U.S. sanctions against Iran
The Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, told Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday that China resolutely opposes unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States.
Exclusive: Insurer says Iran’s Guards likely to have organized tanker attacks
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are “highly likely” to have facilitated attacks last Sunday on four tankers including two Saudi ships off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, according to a Norwegian insurers’ report seen by Reuters.
Factbox: Who’s who in the great EU jobs hunt
Next week’s European Parliament election will usher in a major reshuffle of top jobs in EU institutions.
World Bank under fire for development plan in Myanmar’s divided Rakhine
Aid groups and human rights advocates have warned the World Bank that a $100 million development project it is planning for Myanmar’s conflict-riven Rakhine State could worsen tension there.
Algeria election may be postponed, protests continue
Algeria’s imminent presidential election looks likely to be postponed, a source said on Friday, as protesters returned to the streets for the 13th successive Friday to demand the removal of the nation’s ruling elite.
Factbox: The national stakes in the EU elections
Beyond determining the balance of power of the next European Parliament, this week’s EU elections can have knock-on effects in the domestic politics of Europe’s member states. Here are some examples of how the elections play out nationally.
Spain’s Sanchez nominates Catalans to chair Congress and Senate
Spain’s acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday proposed two Catalan lawmakers as parliamentary speakers, giving an early sense of the prominent role the politically volatile region is likely to play during his mandate.
