Merkel defends painful coalition concessions, denies authority waning
BERLIN (Reuters) – Angela Merkel on Sunday defended “painful” concessions she has made to the Social Democrats (SPD) to win a fourth term as German chancellor and said criticism among her conservatives was not a sign her authority was waning.
Russian passenger plane crashes near Moscow; 71 dead
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian passenger plane crashed near Moscow soon after take-off on Sunday, killing all 71 people on board, and investigators said they were looking at all possible causes.
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition elects new leaders
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party elected new leaders on Sunday, at a congress that party officials said authorities had tried to stop by arresting hundreds of would-be attendees.
Russian passenger plane crashes near Moscow; 71 feared dead
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian passenger plane crashed near Moscow after take-off on Sunday and the Kremlin said all 71 people on board were feared dead.
South Africa’s ruling ANC to finalize talks on Zuma’s future
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) leader Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday the party’s executive body would meet on Monday to finalize discussions on the future of President Jacob Zuma, who is under mounting pressure to …
Iran says Canadian-Iranian committed suicide in jail; more arrests expected
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s judiciary said on Sunday an Iranian-Canadian activist had committed suicide in detention because of the weight of evidence against him in a spying case, an Iranian news agency reported.
North Korea keeps mum on summit invite as its delegation completes South visit
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea’s delegation sent to the Winter Olympics held “frank and candid” talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the North Korean news agency said on Sunday, but it made no mention of the North’s invitation to Moon to Pyong…
Brotherhood supporters jailed over 2014 Cairo clashes: court sources
CAIRO (Reuters) – Thirty-three supporters of the banned Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced on Sunday to prison terms ranging from seven years to life over violent clashes that broke out at a protest in Cairo in 2014, judicial sources said.
Plane crashes near Moscow, killing 71 people: agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A plane operated by Russia’s Saratov Airlines crashed near Moscow on Sunday, killing all 71 people on board, news agencies said.
Erdogan aide meets U.S. National Security Adviser in Turkey amid tensions
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster held talks on Sunday in Istanbul with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman, a presidential source said, amid persistent tensions between the NATO allies over Syria and other issu…
