Political news

• Lone Star picked as top candidate to buy Portugal's Novo Banco

  05-01-2017 23:59
  By Axel Bugge LISBON (Reuters) - U.S. private equity firm Lone Star will work "tirelessly" to reach an agreement with Portugal to buy Novo Banco, it said on Thursday after it became the top candidate to acquire the bank carved out of collapsed Banco Espirito Santo (BES). Portugal's central bank said earlier it plans to hold further talks with Lone Star after selecting it ahead of other prospective purchasers including China's Minsheng Financial Holding and U.S. funds Apollo and Centerbridge. Por
  
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• The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: Tinker, Tailor, Clapper, Senators

  05-01-2017 23:55
  
  Today in 5 Lines Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, National Security Agency chief Michael Rogers, and Marcel Lettre, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing regarding foreign cyber threats to the United States. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that the GOP will move to defund Planned Parenthood as part of their efforts to repeal Obamacare. On Twitter, Trump threatened Toyota with a “big border tax” if the
  
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• May to meet Trump in Washington in spring - PM's office

  05-01-2017 23:53
  (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with Donald Trump in Washington in the spring, a representative said, in the first visit with the new president by the leader of one of the United States' closest allies. In a phone call with Trump in late November, the Conservative prime minister and the Republican president-elect agreed to work on building relationships through the U.S. presidential transition and to meet at the earliest opportunity. "We are pleased to have been able to make tha
  
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• New Zealand Olympic champion Powrie retires, Aleh still keen on 2020

  05-01-2017 23:36
  Former Olympic champion Polly Powrie has retired from international sailing at the age of 29, Yachting New Zealand said on Friday. Powrie won gold with Jo Aleh in the women's 470 class at London and silver in Rio, with the pair also crowned world champions in 2013. In addition, they won three silver medals at world championships.
  
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• Australian Boys champion Anderson charged with match fixing - local media

  05-01-2017 23:25
  (Reuters) - Australian teenager Oliver Anderson, one of the brightest young talents in tennis, has been charged by police with involvement in match fixing following an investigation, local media reported on Thursday. Police in Victoria said in a statement that an unnamed 18-year-old Queensland man had been charged. Australian media identified Anderson and quoted a family statement saying the teenager from Brisbane was cooperating fully with authorities.
  
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• U.S. sues D-Link, alleges lax security in routers, cameras

  05-01-2017 23:23
  By Diane Bartz and Jim Finkle WASHINGTON/BOSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against D-Link Corp on Thursday, accusing the Taiwan-based manufacturer of failing to take reasonable steps to protect its routers and internet-linked security cameras from hackers. The FTC brought the charges as part of a broader effort to improve security of internet-connected devices, including routers, webcams, digital video recorders and other widely used consumer electronics device
  
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• Recalling Syria 'red line,' Kerry says US didn't back down

  05-01-2017 23:21
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Touting his four years as secretary of state, John Kerry on Thursday attempted to explain one of the most contentious moments in American diplomacy during his tenure: President Barack Obama's failure to enforce his "red line" warning to Syria about using chemical weapons.
  
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• No doubt Russia interfered in election, US intel chief says

  05-01-2017 23:21
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Brushing aside Donald Trump's dismissiveness, the nation's intelligence chief insisted Thursday that U.S. agencies are more confident than ever that Russia interfered in America's recent presidential election. And he called the former Cold War foe an "existential threat" to the nation.
  
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• Leicester's Mahrez named African Footballer of the Year

  05-01-2017 23:13
  ABUJA (Reuters) - Riyad Mahrez was named African Footballer of the Year on Thursday having helped Leicester City clinch a stunning Premier League title triumph last season. Mahrez was chosen ahead of 2015 winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sadio Mane in a poll of African national team coaches. The result was announced at the annual Confederation of African Football awards in the Nigerian capital. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
  
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• Lawyers: Park service still blocking inauguration protests

  05-01-2017 23:09
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Civil rights attorneys in Washington say they'll take the National Park Service to court unless the agency grants permits to groups seeking to protest the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
  
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• Kerry says U.S. encouraging Astana talks on Syria as step to peace

  05-01-2017 23:09
  By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is encouraging Syria peace talks being prepared by Russia later this month in the Kazakh capital Astana and hopes they will produce a step toward peace, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 26 that Russia, Iran, Turkey and Syrian President Bashar al Assad had all agreed to hold the talks in Astana although no date has been set.
  
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• Trump selects former Sen. Coats for top intelligence post

  05-01-2017 23:07
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, a role that would thrust him into the center of the intelligence community that Trump has publicly challenged, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday.
  
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• Dems want probe of Trump Cabinet pick over stock sales

  05-01-2017 23:06
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Senate Democrats said Thursday that the House ethics office should investigate whether stock sales by a congressman who is now one of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks broke any laws.
  
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• South Korea minister says China indirectly retaliating against THAAD

  05-01-2017 23:02
  China is suspected to be taking indirect action against South Korea's decision last year to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system, South Korea's finance minister said. China worries that the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system's powerful radar can penetrate its territory and it has objected to the deployment. South Korea and the United States say the missile system is aimed solely at countering any threat from North Korea.
  
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• Brazil prosecutors eye contract corruption at massacre prison

  05-01-2017 22:56
  By Ueslei Marcelino and Alonso Soto MANAUS/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors on Thursday demanded a multi-million dollar private prison contract in Amazonas state be axed due to signs of corruption as the government blamed mismanagement for the country's bloodiest prison massacre in decades. Amazonas' accounting court prosecutor, Carlos Almeida, said he found signs of payment irregularities in a contract the state signed with the Pamas consortium to manage all its prisons, including the
  
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• World stocks rise; dollar dips on U.S. labour data, yuan surge

  05-01-2017 22:44
  By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global equity prices shrugged off weakness on Wall Street to cling to gains after hitting their highest level since mid-2015 on Thursday, bolstered by strong Chinese data that added to optimism about global growth and inflation. The dollar slipped against a basket of major currencies after U.S. inflation and unemployment data failed to reverse a downtrend that followed some of the biggest gains on record for China's yuan. U.S. Treasury debt yields slippe
  
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• Investigators return to question Netanyahu over alleged receipt of gifts

  05-01-2017 22:42
  By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police officers on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under caution for a second time this week on suspicion of taking gifts from businessmen in breach of his role as a public servant. Police said the session, which lasted some five hours, was held at Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem. "The investigation under caution of (Netanyahu's) alleged receipt of benefits continued today and involved questioning about another affair .
  
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• Stalkers To Face 10 Years In Prison As Government U-Turns Under Pressure From Cross-Party Campaign

  05-01-2017 22:36
  
  Stalkers are to face a new maximum jail sentence of 10 years after ministers caved to pressure from a cross-party campaign to increase protection for victims.
  The Ministry of Justice announced it would adopt tough new measures in the Policing and Crime Bill due to return to the Commons next week.
  The move was swiftly welcomed by GP Dr Ellie Aston, whose own stalking ordeal and “eight years of horror” sparked the change in the law.
  The current maximum five-year sentence for stalking
  
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• Stalkers To Face 10 Years In Prison After Government U-Turn, Tory MP Alex Chalk Reveals

  05-01-2017 22:36
  
  Stalkers are to face a new maximum jail sentence of 10 years after ministers caved to pressure from a cross-party campaign to increase protection for victims.
  Tory MP Alex Chalk revealed that the Government would adopt tough new measures in the Policing and Crime Bill due to return to the Commons next week.
  Writing on his Facebook page, the Cheltenham MP said that the current maximum five-year sentence for stalking will be doubled.
  “I’m absolutely delighted to announce that the camp
  
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• Stalkers To Face 10 Years In Prison After Government U-Turn

  05-01-2017 22:36
  
  Stalkers are to face a new maximum jail sentence of 10 years after ministers caved to pressure from a cross-party campaign to increase protection for victims.
  The Ministry of Justice announced it would adopt tough new measures in the Policing and Crime Bill due to return to the Commons next week.
  The move was swiftly welcomed by GP Dr Ellie Aston, whose own stalking ordeal sparked the change in the law.
  The current maximum five-year sentence for stalking will be doubled, and the jail term for o
  
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• A defining French vote

  05-01-2017 22:30
  The world won’t have to wait until German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces voters in September to have a clear idea of where the European experiment is headed. In two rounds of voting April 23 and May 7 French voters will choose a president to replace François Hollande, one of the least popular democratically elected officials in recent memory. Mr. Hollande is not running again, but whatever candidate emerges from his Socialist Party in preliminary voting Jan. 22 and 29 is not expecte
  
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• Obama plans final White House bash before term ends Jan. 20

  05-01-2017 21:58
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Before his farewell address, President Barack Obama plans a farewell bash Friday night to celebrate the end of his presidency.
  
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• Kerry says he accepts U.S. intelligence assessment on Russian hacking

  05-01-2017 21:57
  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday he accepted the U.S. intelligence assessment that the "highest level" of the Russian government was responsible for cyber attacks during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Asked during a news conference if he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the hacking of the Democratic National Committee, Kerry said: "I accept the judgement of the intelligence community that this went to the highest level" of the Russian government.
  
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• The Latest: Source says former Sen. Coats is spy chief pick

  05-01-2017 21:50
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):
  
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• Dollar hits three-week low as U.S. data fails to override yuan surge

  05-01-2017 21:25
  By Dion Rabouin NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to a three-week low against a basket of major currencies on Thursday after U.S. inflation and unemployment data failed to reverse a downtrend that followed some of the biggest gains on record for China's yuan. The dollar index , a measure of the greenback against six world currencies, fell 1.3 percent to a low of 101.300. The dollar's steep dive was the result of investors having to reduce or reverse bets on the greenback as momentum shifted i
  
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• Access to single market 'not on sale'

  05-01-2017 21:25 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The UK cannot buy its way back into the single market, says a former top UK official in Brussels.
  
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• More Guantanamo releases likely before January 20 - White House

  05-01-2017 21:24
  The United States will likely transfer additional prisoners from the U.S. naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before President Barack Obama leaves office, the White House said on Thursday. "I am not able to speak to any specific detainee transfers between now and Jan. 20 other than to confirm for you that there are likely to be some," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing. Obama's final push to shrink the inmate population aims to send as many as 19 prisoners to at least
  
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• Trump picks former U.S. Senator Coats as director of national intelligence

  05-01-2017 21:21
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday picked former U.S. Senator Dan Coats as his director of national intelligence, a senior transition official said. The official announcement is expected this week as Trump makes decisions on some of the remaining major positions he must fill as he prepares to take over the White House on Jan. 20. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)
  
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• U.S. spy chief 'resolute' on Russia cyber attack, differs with Trump

  05-01-2017 21:19
  By Dustin Volz and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. intelligence official said on Thursday he was "even more resolute" in his belief that Russia staged cyber attacks on Democrats during the 2016 election campaign, rebuking persistent scepticism from Republican President-elect Donald Trump about whether Moscow was involved. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he had a very high level of confidence that Russia hacked Democratic Party institutions and campaign
  
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• The Latest: Transition reveals inauguration ticket images

  05-01-2017 21:10
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):
  
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• Indiana mayor joins crowded field to lead national Democrats

  05-01-2017 21:01
  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana mayor is joining the crowded field to become the next head of the Democratic National Committee.
  
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• Trump weighing changes to US intelligence community

  05-01-2017 20:59
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump, mired in disagreement with the U.S. intelligence agencies over allegations of Russian election hacking, is weighing plans to slim down America's spy operation and make changes at the CIA, a person familiar with the president-elect's internal discussions said Thursday.
  
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• Trump, amid legal battles, gives deposition against chef

  05-01-2017 20:59
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump gave a videotaped deposition on Thursday for a lawsuit stemming from a clash with a celebrity restaurateur at his new Washington hotel. It was a rare legal proceeding for a president-elect or sitting president that highlights the legal woes that could follow Trump to the Oval Office.
  
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• Trump is using campaign-style name-calling on Congress

  05-01-2017 20:52
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is shifting the name-calling that helped drive his campaign victories over "lyin,'" "low energy" and "crooked" opponents to the legislative arena, where he's now mocking Democrats as "clowns" trying to escape blame for a troubled health care law.
  
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• Two Islamic State car bombs in Baghdad kill at least 14 - sources

  05-01-2017 20:46
  Two car bombs in Baghdad claimed by Islamic State killed at least 14 people on Thursday, police and medics said, part of a surge in violence across the capital at a time when U.S.-backed Iraqi forces are trying to drive the militants from Mosul in the north. The first blast shook Baghdad's eastern al-Obeidi area during the morning rush, killing six and wounding 15. Islamic State said in an online statement it had targeted a gathering of Shi'ite Muslims, whom it considers apostates.
  
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• Trump - Toyota faces big tax if it builds Corolla cars for U.S. in Mexico

  05-01-2017 20:43
  By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday targeted Toyota Motor Corp , threatening to impose a hefty fee on the Japanese automaker it if builds its Corolla cars for the U.S. market at a plant in Mexico. "Toyota Motor said will build a new plant in Baja, Mexico, to build Corolla cars for U.S. NO WAY! Build plant in U.S. or pay big border tax," Trump said in a post on Twitter. This was Trump's latest broadside against automakers building cars in Mexic
  
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• New advice: Peanuts in baby's diet can prevent scary allergy

  05-01-2017 20:40
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — New parents, get ready to feed your babies peanut-containing foods — starting young lowers their chances of becoming allergic.
  
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• Ryan: GOP to 'defund' Planned Parenthood in Obamacare repeal

  05-01-2017 20:39
  WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that Republicans would slash federal dollars for Planned Parenthood as part of the GOP effort to repeal the health care law.
  
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• Sri Lanka divided as panel backs foreign judges to probe war crimes

  05-01-2017 20:29
  By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka should bring in international prosecutors and judges to help investigate alleged atrocities in the civil war that ended in 2009, a task force said on Thursday in recommendations that were welcomed by the United Nations. The Consultation Task Force (CTF), appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, said foreign involvement was needed because of a lack of confidence in the local judiciary, which it said did not have the expertise and capacity to
  
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• Trump remains opposed to AT&T-Time Warner deal - BBG

  05-01-2017 20:25
  (Reuters) - Donald Trump remains opposed to AT&T Inc's planned $85.4 billion (69 billion pounds)acquisition of Time Warner Inc , Bloomberg reported, citing people close to the president-elect. Trump, who has been silent about the transaction for months, told a friend in the last few weeks that he still considers the merger to be a bad deal, Bloomberg reported. Shares of AT&T were down 0.2 percent, while Time Warner's stock was down 1.6 percent.
  
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• Attorney general pick Sessions has dueling images

  05-01-2017 20:23
  CAMDEN, Alabama (AP) — Upperclassmen on the Wilcox County High School football team sometimes harassed the freshmen of 1964. But linebacker Jeff Sessions, a senior who was barely bigger than his younger schoolmates, didn't join in.
  
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• Poland's anti-government protest leader deals blow to opposition

  05-01-2017 20:10
  By Lidia Kelly WARSAW (Reuters) - The leader of Poland's anti-government protest movement acknowledged on Thursday taking money from the organisation, dealing a blow to the parliamentary opposition, but he said the funds were for contract work he had carried out. The ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party urged the opposition to cut ties with Mateusz Kijowski, leader of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD). Polish daily Rzeczpospolita and the news portal Onet.pl reported tha
  
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• Ditching EU free movement is a political necessity, says Vince Cable

  05-01-2017 20:10 via theguardian.com
  
  Former business secretary departs from Lib Dem position to argue that public opinion is behind post-Brexit immigration controlsThe former Liberal Democrat minister Vince Cable has broken ranks with his party to argue that it is politically necessary to limit immigration from the EU as part of the UK’s Brexit deal.While stressing he was still firmly against leaving the EU, Cable argued that one of the few potential benefits would be “the opportunity for a more rational immigration pol
  
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• Austrian defence minister eyes plan to overhaul EU migrant policy - Bild

  05-01-2017 20:08
  Austria's defence minister has drafted a plan that would overhaul the European Union's migrant policy by establishing a ceiling for migration and only permitting applications for asylum from outside the EU, Germany's Bild newspaper reported on Thursday. Hans Peter Doskozil, a Social Democrat, told the newspaper the changes were urgently needed to create a more orderly system of legal migration for those entitled to asylum in the bloc. Bild said Doskozil's plan calls for an EU migration ceiling b
  
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• ‘Demoralised’ top civil servants demand pay rise

  05-01-2017 20:07
  Mandarins under strain as Brexit demands take their toll
  
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• Djokovic and Murray through in Doha as oldies bow out

  05-01-2017 20:04
  (Reuters) - Ageless Czech Radek Stepanek's run at the Qatar Open was ended by defending champion Novak Djokovic on Thursday and fellow veteran Ivo Karlovic also bowed out at the quarter-final stage. World number one Andy Murray, bidding for a third Doha title, joined Djokovic in the semi-final with a hard-earned victory over Spain's Nicolas Almagro, his 27th consecutive win. Stepanek, at 38 the oldest player to reach an ATP quarter-final since Jimmy Connors in 1995, was no match for a clinical D
  
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• Ryan: Lawmakers will act this year on replacing health law

  05-01-2017 20:00
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers will act this year on bills not simply repealing President Barack Obama's health care law but replacing it as well, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday.
  
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• Mallya's Force India to launch F1 car at Silverstone

  05-01-2017 19:58
  By Alan Baldwin LONDON (Reuters) - Force India will be one of the first teams to show off their 2017 Formula One car after announcing a Feb. 22 launch at their Silverstone home base. The Mercedes-powered team, who have a changed driver lineup with 20-year-old Frenchman Esteban Ocon joining Mexican Sergio Perez in place of Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, finished a best ever fourth overall last year. The team rolled out their 2016 car in Barcelona last February, before principal Vijay Mallya had his I
  
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• U.S. appreciates Turkish base access, hopes will continue - Pentagon

  05-01-2017 19:57
  The United States appreciates the access provided by Turkey to the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, and looks forward to that continuing, the Pentagon said on Thursday, after Turkish officials questioned that access. "We are operating out of Incirlik ... and we look forward to that continuing," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told a news briefing.
  
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• Entrepreneurs urge May to avoid drop in migration

  05-01-2017 19:53
  Company founders pen appeal to keep Britain ‘open to trade and talent’
  
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