Washington

Key events in US pastor Brunson case

Evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who was arrested by Turkish authorities in 2016 on charges of espionage and links with terror groups, released by Turkish court.

Erdogan says fate of US pastor Brunson is in the hands of courts

US pastor Andrew Brunson’s trial resumes on Friday, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has faith in the court's ruling.

'Saudi Arabia was there more than 30 years before US' – Saudi crown prince

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman downplays US President Donald Trump's remarks about reliance on US, in an interview to Bloomberg, says despite previous US president working against Saudi agenda "we were able to protect our interests."

Afghan government rejects Blackwater proposals to privatise war

Erik Prince, a former US Navy SEAL whose sister Betsy De Vos serves as Education Secretary in the Trump administration, has been lobbying officials about his proposal to privatise parts of US military operations in Afghanistan for more than a year.

Russia, India to sign deal on S-400 missile system this week – Kremlin

"The value of the contract will be more than $5 billion," says Yury Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide.

EU announces legal entity to maintain business with Iran

EU and Iran agreed late Monday to establish a financial facility in the European Union to facilitate payments for Iranian imports and exports including oil.

Mattis dismisses Iran's revenge threat as tensions climb after attack

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says it was “ludicrous” for Iran to suggest US has anything to do with Saturday’s parade attack in southwestern city of Ahvaz in which at least 25 people were killed.

Trump to meet Rosenstein as deputy AG's job hangs in balance

The White House says Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general overseeing the probe into alleged collusion between Russia and US President Donald Trump, will meet Trump later this week, amid media reports that Rosenstein was about to lose his job.

Four years of US coalition strikes on Syria kill 3,300 civilians: monitor

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 3,331 civilians were killed in US-led air strikes since they began four years ago. The Washington-led alliance puts the toll at just over 1,000 civilians in both Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

Turkey working with Russia on Idlib disarmament zone – Erdogan spokesman

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin says Ankara-Moscow joint effort follows Monday's agreement between the two countries to establish a dimilitarised buffer in Idlib, Syria's last opposition stronghold.

China, Russia warn US of consequences over sanctions

Tensions escalate as Washington slaps financial sanctions on a Chinese military unit for purchasing Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

10 Trump decisions killing Palestinian statehood

No previous US administration has been as aggressive as Trump's in trying to kill any hope of Palestinian statehood. Here are 10 actions the current administration has taken.