Reuters, London
Jailed British anti-Muslim activist Tommy Robinson has been released on bail after his appeal against a conviction for contempt of court was partially granted by a London court.
He was arrested in late May outside a courthouse in Leeds, England, while making video recordings about a trial related to child molestation. He was jailed for 13 months.
Lavrov may meet Pompeo this week
Reuters, Moscow
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement it was trying to set up a meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Singapore on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting this week.
Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister arrived in Pyongyang for talks with Kim Jong Un, saying before the meeting that Moscow “welcomes” the recent flurry of diplomacy on the peninsula.
Turkish court rejects US pastor’s appeal
Reuters, Istanbul
A Turkish court rejected an appeal on Tuesday for an American pastor to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges, his lawyer said, in a case that has raised the threat of U.S. sanctions against Ankara.
Relations between the two NATO allies have spiraled into a full-blown crisis over the trial of Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, who was held for 21 months in a Turkish prison until his transfer to house arrest last week – a move Washington dismissed as insufficient.
Kelly to stay on as WH chief of staff until 2020
Reuters, Washington
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly plans to stay in his post through the presidential election until 2020, a White House official told Reuters, putting to rest months of speculation that the retired military general would be the next to leave U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
The news of Kelly staying on was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said that Kelly told White House staff on Monday that Trump had asked him to remain in the position and he agreed.
