United States

The governor, Eloy Inos, says an extension to the deadline for submissions on the military's draft Environmental Impact Statement is necessary because of the impact of Typhoon Soudelor.

Mr Inos says with a territory-wide cleanup underway to restore essential services damaged by the typhoon last week the community is unlikely to have time to prepare submissions.

The US military plans to use the islands of Tinian and Pagan for live-fire missile training and amphibous landings as part of its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.

Power said the travel ban requires all countries deny Maj. Gen. Ghasem Soleimani entry into their borders, and the only exception is if the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against Iran grants an exemption.

"To our knowledge no such exemption was granted, and we would know," Power told reporters Friday. "So these are very concerning reports but we are still, again, tracking down the facts."

The move is expected to further embroil Turkey in Syria's civil war and set up a potential conflict with U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.

A U.S. official said the creation of an "Islamic State-free zone" would ensure greater security and stability in the Turkish-Syrian border region. However, the official said any joint military efforts with Turkey would not include the imposition of a no-fly zone. 

But they're not sure how far to go in lifting sanctions, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Monday as full diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally restored.

"Relations between Cuba and the U.S. I think are long overdue. There's no threat there," said Alex Bega, 30, of Los Angeles. "I think the sanctions we have on them are pretty much obsolete."

The ministry said Ildiko Vida's term of office ended Monday. It praised her work but said a new, more "client friendly" era is starting at the tax office.

Vida was one of six Hungarians banned from entering the U.S. because of suspected links to corruption. The U.S. government never named those people but Vida made public in November that she and colleagues from the tax office were on the list. She denied any wrongdoing.

State Department spokesman John Kirby says the flag will be hung early Monday morning before a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the Cuban embassy in Washington and the restoration of full diplomatic ties. 

The department's lobby features the flags of more than 150 other countries placed in alphabetical order. Cuba falls between Croatia and Cyprus in that arrangement.

Later on Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry will meet at the department with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez after which they will hold a joint news conference, Kirby said.

Pelosi expressed her backing for the accord at a news conference Thursday morning on Capitol Hill.

The Obama administration has launched a full-court press to win over skeptical Democrats in Congress, and Pelosi's support is a key gain.

By law, the administration must submit the deal to Congress, which has 60 days to review the pact and vote to approve, disapprove or remain silent.

The White House says U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke with Mexico's attorney general on Sunday. That's the day after Guzman escaped from a maximum-security prison through a tunnel, setting off a massive manhunt.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the U.S. government is offering its full support to Mexico. He's pointing out that Guzman has also been charged with serious crimes in the U.S.

Speaking on the eve of a belated target date for a complete agreement, a senior Iranian official said his country and the six world powers it is negotiating with are also working on a U.N. resolution that endorses any future nuclear deal.

Lifting the arms embargo would be separate from a long-term accord that foresees limits on Iran's nuclear programs in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions on the Islamic Republic. 

President Barack Obama is expected to announce the agreement Wednesday at the White House. The Cuban Foreign Ministry said the embassies in Washington and Havana would open July 20.

The U.S. and Cuba have been negotiating the re-establishment of embassies following a surprise December announcement that secret talks had led to an agreement to restart diplomatic relations.