Bloomberg A senior official in the Saudi-led alliance said Qatari officials must revise their policies before direct talks to resolve the crisis could begin. While dialog is important, it should be based on a Qatari “review of actions,” United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter. “Repeating the same positions deepens the crisis,” he …

Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won a Congressional vote on Saturday to extend martial law in the southern island of Mindanao, strengthening his legislative hand in the year ahead. With government troops battling IS-linked militants in Marawi City, the House of Representatives voted 245 to 14 in favour of extending martial law until the end of the year. Senators approved …

Bloomberg German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is right to act against what he called unacceptable Turkish policies under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who he said seeks to quench the country’s opposition. “Many who have worked cooperatively with him and his party in the last few years are now being persecuted, are thrown in jail, are being …