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Obama issues stark trade warning against Brexit

  London / AFP Barack Obama warned Britain against leaving the European Union, undercutting a key argument of eurosceptics by saying London would be “at the back of the queue” for a post-Brexit trade deal. The US president’s comments on Britain’s June 23 EU membership referendum at a press conference with UK Prime Minister David Cameron drew a furious reaction ...

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Russia suspends $3 bn debt claim against Ukraine

  Moscow / AFP Russia said it had temporarily suspended its demand for full repayment of a disputed $3-billion loan to Ukraine, saying it wanted to give the new government in Kiev time to “assess the situation”. “We have given the new Ukrainian government an extension to assess the situation with a clear head, to reevaluate its position and open ...

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Rosneft plans higher dividend as Russia seeks more funds

  Bloomberg Rosneft OJSC, Russia’s largest oil producer, plans to increase its dividend as the government seeks more funds from state corporations to bolster public finances. The company board has recommended increasing the payout to shareholders to 35 percent of its 2015 profit, or 11.75 rubles a share. The dividend would amount to 124.5 billion rubles ($1.87 billion) and represents ...

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Artist JMW Turner to appear on England’s new £20 currency note

  Margate / AFP The artist J M W Turner will appear on the new £20 note, Bank of England governor Mark Carney announced. The new design will include Joseph Mallord William Turner’s self-portrait and his 1838 oil painting “The Fighting Temeraire”. “Turner is perhaps the single most influential British artist of all time,” Carney said. “His work was transformative, ...

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Trade deal foes plan major German rally on eve of Obama visit

  Hanover / AFP Opponents of a proposed transatlantic trade deal hope to draw tens of thousands onto German streets Saturday, on the eve of a visit by US President Barack Obama. Obama’s trip — to open an industrial technology fair in the northern city of Hanover and hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders — was intended ...

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Donald Trump’s cries of ‘rigged’ system shifts blame for his losses

  HARRINGTON / AP Top aides spent the week gingerly courting Republican insiders at a seaside resort in Florida, but front-runner Donald Trump was busy railing against them. While it may seem counterproductive, Trump’s foot-stomping has served as a rallying cry to boost voter turnout and allowed him to continue to appeal to voters who feel disenfranchised. The “rigged” system ...

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12 arrested as French police, protesters clash

  PARIS / AP Overnight clashes between French police and about 100 people have led to 12 arrests in eastern Paris. The Paris police said the clashes took place from Friday night to early Saturday around the Place de la Republique on the sidelines of the “Night Rising” protest movement. A police car was set on fire and projectiles were ...

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Seoul: North Korea ‘fire submarine-launched missile’

  SEOUL / AP South Korea says North Korea has fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile from a submarine off its northeast coast. Seoul’s Defense Ministry couldn’t immediately confirm where the projectile landed after Saturday’s launch. North Korea has fired a slew of missiles and artillery shells into the sea in an apparent protest against ongoing annual military ...

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At London youth event, Obama pushes diplomacy over force

  LONDON / AP President Barack Obama on Saturday urged the next generation of British leaders to give serious thought to how they solve problems, turning a light-hearted question about priorities for his successor into a treatise on his preference for diplomacy over military conflict. Obama said keeping US citizens safe is his top priority and he suggested that it ...

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