Russia expels 6 British diplomats it accuses of spying

(AP) — Russia has accused six British diplomats of spying and decided to expel them. The U.K. says the move, which it calls “completely baseless,” came weeks ago and was linked to its action in May to revoke the credentials of an attaché at the Russian Embassy and limit Moscow’s diplomatic activities in London, The latest East-West tensions unfolded as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Washington for talks that he says will include Ukraine’s request to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia. Russian TV said the six diplomats had met with independent media and rights groups that have been declared “foreign agents.” That’s a label Russian authorities have used against organizations and individuals critical of the Kremlin.

Congo court sentences 3 Americans and 34 others to death on coup charges

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A military court in Congo has convicted 37 people, including three Americans, on charges of taking part in a coup attempt and sentenced them to death. The defendants, who also included a Briton, Belgian, Canadian and several Congolese, can appeal the verdict on charges that included terrorism, murder and criminal association. Thirteen people were acquitted in the trial, which opened in June. Six people were killed during the botched coup attempt led by the little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in May that targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest The three Americans convicted were Malanga’s 21-year-old son Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun.

IS militants kill 14 in a Shiite area of Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban say gunmen have killed 14 people in a Shiite-majority area in central Afghanistan. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the country this year. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the assault, which took place on Thursday and targeted people as they traveled between the Shiite-majority provinces of Ghor and Daikundi. The Taliban’s chief spokesman on Friday strongly condemned the “barbaric action” and said authorities considered it their obligation to protect people and their property. The Iranian news agency IRNA quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying the group had targeted people welcoming Afghan Shiites who were returning from visiting shrines in Iraq.

Pope slams Harris and Trump as ‘against life,’ urges Catholics to vote for ‘lesser evil’

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis has strongly criticized both U.S. presidential candidates over what he calls anti-life policies on abortion and migration. Francis on Friday advised American Catholics to choose the “lesser evil” in the upcoming U.S. elections. He says that when deciding between a candidate who supports abortion rights and one planning to deport migrants that “both are against life.” The Argentine Jesuit was asked to provide counsel to American Catholics on the airplane home from Asia. He stressed that he isn’t an American and won’t be voting in the U.S. election, but that Catholics should use their conscience to vote and choose the “lesser evil.”