Iraq’s Abadi in high-stakes plan to rein in Iranian-backed militias
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Under pressure from allies in the West, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is staking his career on reining in the Shi’ite militias that helped him defeat Islamic State.
Turkey removes opposition party mayor from office: ministry statement
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s Interior Ministry removed the opposition mayor of Istanbul’s Besiktas municipality from office on Thursday, accusing him of links to the 2016 attempted coup and corruption.
Trump hails potential Korea talks, credits his firm stance
WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called potential talks between North and South Korea “a good thing” and the South Korean presidency said he had agreed there would be no military drills with South Korea during next m…
Austria’s new government plans to cut child benefits abroad
SEGGAU, Austria (Reuters) – Austria’s ruling coalition of conservatives and the far right plans to cut benefit payments for children living abroad, it said on Thursday, adding that it believes the move does not break European Union rules banning discri…
U.S. places Pakistan on watch list for religious freedom violations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has placed Pakistan on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedom,” it said on Thursday, days after the White House said Islamabad would have to do more to combat terrorism to recei…
Putin OKs resumption of Russian airline service to Cairo: document
MOSCOW/CAIRO (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin authorized the resumption of regular Russian airline flights to Cairo, according to a document published on the Moscow government’s website on Thursday.
German court rules against registering transsexual woman as a mother
BERLIN (Reuters) – A transsexual woman who used sperm she had banked prior to her sex change to have a baby with her female partner cannot be legally registered as the child’s mother, Germany’s highest civil and criminal court ruled on Thursday.
Iranian army commander offers to help police suppress unrest
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s army chief declared on Thursday that police had quelled anti-government unrest that has killed 21 people but that his troops were ready to intervene if needed, as authorities staged more pro-government rallies.
Pakistan shrugs off impending U.S. aid cuts, wary of harsher measures
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan is shrugging off proposed U.S. aid cuts but frets that Washington could take more drastic measures to deter what it sees as the South Asian nation’s support for Taliban militants causing chaos in neighboring Afghanistan.
Brazilian President Temer says has recovered after health problems
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Michel Temer told journalists on Thursday that he had recovered well after health problems in recent months have seen him shuttling back and forth between Sao Paulo and capital Brasilia for medical treatment.
