French prosecutors accuse Lebanon central bank chief of hiding fraud

BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) – French prosecutors have told Lebanon’s central bank governor Riad Salameh they plan to press preliminary fraud and money laundering charges against him, partly based on allegedly forged bank statements used to conceal his wealth, according to French court documents seen by Reuters. The accusation of using fake account statements, which had not…

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Sudan’s paramilitary RSF agrees to 72-hour truce on humanitarian grounds

CAIRO (Reuters) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said it had agreed to a 72-hour truce on humanitarian grounds, effective from 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) Friday, offering a potential respite from a six-day military conflict with the Sudanese army. “The truce coincides with the blessed Eid Al-Fitr (Muslim holiday) … to open humanitarian corridors…

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U.N. chief calls for three-day ceasefire in Sudan as thousands flee

By Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir KHARTOUM (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to Sudan’s warring factions to observe a ceasefire over the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday to allow civilians to reach safe areas as rival forces battled for a sixth day on Thursday. Thousands of civilians streamed out of the capital Khartoum as…

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EU lawmakers demand obligatory hosting of migrants under looming overhaul

By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union lawmakers voted on Thursday to require member countries to host some of the refugees and migrants coming to the bloc at times of high arrivals, part of a fiercely contested reform due ahead of a 2024 pan-European election. The European Parliament adopted its position on the looming…

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Israel cements ties to Turkmenistan on Iran’s border

ASHGABAT (Reuters) -Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen inaugurated a permanent embassy in the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan on Thursday, establishing his country’s closest diplomatic presence to Iran, as Israel seeks to strengthen ties to its arch-foe’s neighbours. Although the countries established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, there had only been a temporary Israeli mission…

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New Sudan ceasefire attempt fails with vital supplies running short

By Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir KHARTOUM/CAIRO (Reuters) -A new attempt at a ceasefire in fierce fighting between Sudanese troops and paramilitary forces in Khartoum failed on Wednesday, leaving people fearful about dwindling food supplies and a breakdown in medical services. The 24-hour ceasefire – lobbied for by countries trying to evacuate their citizens after…

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FBI says China, Iran using new tactics to harass critics on U.S. soil

By Sarah N. Lynch and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China and Iran are becoming increasingly brazen in their attempts to silence dissidents on American soil and influence U.S. policy, the FBI warned on Wednesday. In a news briefing with reporters about transnational repression, FBI counterintelligence officials urged victims to come forward, saying the bureau…

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