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French conservative favorite Fillon says Russia poses no security threat

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PARIS Former prime minister Francois Fillon, favorite to become the French center-right's candidate for president in an election next year, said on Monday that Russia did not constitute a security threat and it was "completely stupid" to push it away.

Russian arms trafficker Bout loses bid for new U.S. trial

NEW YORK A U.S. appeals court on Monday denied a new trial for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year prison sentence for plotting to sell missiles to people he thought were Colombian rebels.

World, U.S., 11:45am EST

Russian tycoon could take control of Turkcell: source

ISTANBUL Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman could take control of Turkcell after fellow shareholder Cukurova failed to declare an intent to buy a disputed 13.2 percent stake by a court deadline, a source close to the matter said on Monday.

Deals, 10:45am EST

China says would consider Turkish membership of security bloc

BEIJING China said on Monday it was willing to consider any application from NATO-member Turkey to join a Russian and Chinese-led security bloc, after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country could join.

World, China, Turkey 9:46am EST

Japan ex-minister warns resolving isles row with Russia not easy

TOKYO A potential ruling party rival to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned on Monday against excessive optimism over a breakthrough in a decades-old territorial row with Moscow when Abe meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Japan next month.

World, Japan 3:13am EST

Obama, Putin talk about Syria and Ukraine in quick summit meet

LIMA U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke for around four minutes on Sunday at the APEC summit about Syria and Ukraine, in what is likely to be their last in-person meeting before Obama leaves office.

Obama offers bleak assessment of situation in Syria

LIMA U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that chaos in Syria could persist for "quite some time" and that Russian and Iranian support for President Bashar al-Assad's air campaign had emboldened the Syrian leader's crackdown on rebels. | Video

World, Syria Nov 20 2016

Center-left leader nominated as Estonia's next PM

TALLINN Estonia's president has nominated Juri Ratas, the new leader of a center-left, traditionally pro-Russian party, as prime minister who promised to leave foreign policy unchanged in a region worried about possible Russian aggression.

World, Nov 20 2016

Fed up with EU, Erdogan says Turkey could join Shanghai bloc

ISTANBUL President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted on Sunday as saying that Turkey did not need to join the European Union "at all costs" and could instead become part of a security bloc dominated by China, Russia and Central Asian nations.

World, China, Turkey Nov 20 2016

Meeting Putin, Philippines' Duterte rails at Western 'hypocrisy'

MANILA Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Western "bullying" and "hypocrisy" during his first meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and said when it came to alliances, the United States could not be trusted.

World, Nov 20 2016
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Iran's Guards using Trump victory to claw back power

ANKARA Donald Trump's victory and the war on Islamic State have given Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps what it sees as a unique opportunity to claw back economic and political power it had lost.