World
House Democrats lead push to restrict Trump on Iran strikes
The Democratic-controlled House voted Friday to put a liberalized stamp on Pentagon policy, including a bipartisan proposal to limit President Donald Trump's authority to make war against Iran.
Facebook to pay 5 bln dollars fine for privacy violations: source
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a settlement involving about 5 billion U.S. dollars with Facebook over its probe into the tech giant's privacy violations, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
U.S. Secretary of Labor resigns amid Epstein furor
U.S. Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta on Friday announced his resignation after coming under fire for his past handling of a plea deal with wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Japan, S.Korea hold working-level talks on export controls
Officials from Japan and South Korea held working-level talks in Tokyo on Friday about tighter export controls that Japan has imposed since last week on some high-tech materials.
S. Korea proposes UN probe over Japanese sanctions claims
South Korea said Friday it wants an investigation by the United Nations or another international body as it continues to reject Japanese claims that Seoul could not be trusted to faithfully implement sanctions against North Korea.
Russian S-400 defense systems arrive in Turkey
The first shipment of a Russian missile defense system has arrived in Turkey, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Friday, moving the country closer to possible U.S. sanctions and a new standoff with Washington.
Iran urges Britain to release oil tanker "soon"
Iran's Foreign Ministry urged Britain to release its oil tanker which Britain seized in the Strait of Gibraltar last week, official IRNA news agency reported on Friday.
Captain of oil tanker arrested in Gibraltar: Media
Gibraltar police arrested the captain and chief officer of an oil supertanker Grace 1 on Thursday, the Gibraltar Chronicle reported, quoting official sources.
Rare blue lobster found in a U.S. restaurant
A rare blue lobster was found in an order placed by a U.S. restaurant called Arnold's Lobster and Clam Bar, in Eastham, Massachusetts earlier this week.
Germany's Merkel sits for anthems after shaking episodes
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the visiting Danish prime minister sat through their countries' national anthems at a ceremony in Berlin Thursday, a day after Merkel shook as she stood at a similar event.
House panel authorizes subpoenas tied to Mueller report
The House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for 12 people mentioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's report, including President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Turbulence injures 35 people, forces the plane to land in Hawaii
Intense turbulence struck an Air Canada flight to Australia on Thursday and sent unbuckled passengers flying into the ceiling, forcing the plane to land in Hawaii.
Trump abandons bid to include citizenship question on census
U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned his controversial bid to inject a citizenship question into next year's census Thursday, instead directing federal agencies to try to compile the information using existing databases.
NASA's telescope uncovers disk around black hole that shouldn't exist
A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found a thin disk whirling around a supermassive black hole 130 million light-years away, but the disk shouldn't exist there based on current theories.
France adopts digital tax as fresh trade spat with U.S. looms
The French Senate, the opposition-controlled upper house of Parliament, passed a law on Thursday introducing the so-called GAFA tax, making France one of the first countries to impose a tax on digital giants.
Virgin Orbit conducts drop-test of rocket from Boeing 747
Virgin Galactic's sister company Virgin Orbit conducted a drop test of its air-launched satellite booster over California on Wednesday, a key step toward space missions.
Train collision kills 13, injures over 70 in eastern Pakistan
A passenger train rammed into a freight train in Pakistan's eastern city of Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday morning, killing 13 people and injuring over 70 others, officials said.
U.S. govt. releases list of Chinese imports exempt from hefty tariffs
The United States government has removed 110 kinds of products imported from China from the list of goods hit by the additional 25 percent tariff introduced on July 6 last year, reports Reuters.
Japan says space probe landed on asteroid to get soil sample
Japan's space agency said data transmitted from the Hayabusa2 spacecraft indicated it successfully landed on a distant asteroid Thursday and completed its historic mission of collecting underground samples.
Iran's Guard denies any confrontation in Gulf
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has denied British allegations of a confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz, saying if it had received orders to seize any ships it would have executed them immediately.