Washington

Iran and six major powers gave themselves until July 7 to clinch a historic nuclear deal after a deadline to end marathon talks passed as the clock struck July 1, with no breakthrough in sight.

While the Greek crisis won’t affect tourists, Greeks abroad – either on vacations or studying – are trapped as Greek banks interpret capital controls in different ways.

The US and Cuba are to announce on Wednesday a move to reopen diplomatic missions in each other's capitals for the first time in over 50 years, international media outlets report.

This is a major step in the renewal of diplomatic ties which was initiated by US President Barack Obama also confirmed by Cuban couterpart Raul Castro in December 2014.

It is not easy to understand the contention in the pro-government media ? meaning that portion of the media which acts as a mouthpiece for President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) ?

Countries from five continents formally signed up on June 29 to the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank -- a potential rival to the Washington-based World Bank -- as Beijing steps up its global diplomatic and economic role.

The U.S.?s annual human rights report on Turkey has slammed a series of violations over the past year, focusing particularly on the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.  

China accused the United States on June 26 of being "haunted by spreading guns" and racial discrimination, in its annual tit-for-tat rebuttal to U.S. criticism of China's human rights record.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Iran's foreign minister in recent days to tell him that Tehran must answer questions about whether its past atomic research was arms-related if it wants a nuclear deal, officials said.

By Andrew Mayeda

The International Monetary Fund said it still expects Greece to repay $1.7 billion due Tuesday, as the lender and other creditors struggled to reach a last-minute accord with the nation to keep it from running out of cash.

President Barack Obama on June 24 moved to defuse tensions after revelations of US spying on three French presidents angered France, while WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange called for legal action over Washington's snooping and promised more disclosures to come.