United States

The EU raised on May 11 its eurozone growth forecast, saying the recovery was gaining strength despite the elevated uncertainties of Brexit and the protectionist policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The forecast said the positive outlook came in large part thanks to an improving global economy, with the United States and China helping lift Europe.

China hosts on May 14 a summit showcasing its ambitious drive to revive ancient Silk Road trade routes and lead a new era of globalization, just as Washington turns inward in favor of "America First" policies.

The Trump administration is likely to expand a ban on laptops on commercial aircraft to include some European countries, but is reviewing how to ensure lithium batteries stored in luggage holds do not explode in midair, officials briefed on the matter said on May 10.

Imprisoned Turkish journalist Ahmet Şık has applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) demanding his immediate release, citing a court ruling from three years ago that his rights had been violated, daily Cumhuriyet reported on May 10.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reiterated on Thursday Washington’s commitment to protecting NATO ally Turkey after a meeting with the Turkish prime minister in London.

The United States retains its commitment to providing Turkey with security, Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said May 11 in London during a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım that came in the wake of a U.S. decision to arm Kurdish militants in Syria.

Greece's largest cement maker Titan said on Thursday first-quarter net loss narrowed helped by robust growth in the United States.

Titan reported a net loss of 3.9 million euros ($4.25 million) versus a loss of 18.6 million a year earlier.

Sales rose 7.1 percent to 361.8 million euros due to strong demand for building materials and continued investment in the United States.

The boat has become a symbol of the crisis in the Mediterranean: a creaky fishing boat, maybe, or a sagging rubber raft, crowded with refugees seeking a better life on a new shore.

Turkey has slammed Germany for accepting the asylum requests of some former Turkish military personnel accused of having links with the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), the alleged perpetrator of the July 2016 failed coup. 

The little boy in the yellow jacket runs and jumps, alternatively waving and wiping the dust off his face. In his right hand is a strip of white cloth, intended to show he and his family are civilians. His parents are exhausted and wary, having left their home in west Mosul’s Mushairfa neighborhood, but the little boy can barely contain his excitement.