South Africa’s biggest union group backs Ramaphosa to succeed Zuma
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa saw his chances of becoming the country’s next leader increase on Thursday when a powerful union group backed him to succeed President Jacob Zuma as head of the ruling party.
Blast kills two at governor’s office in southern Turkish city
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – An explosion killed two people and wounded more than 30 outside the governor’s office in the southern Turkish city of Adana on Thursday, weeks after the United States warned of attacks by what it called extremist groups.
Risking flames and mines, Iraq oil workers battle to cap burning wells
QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) – His face blackened and helmet coated in soot, Hussein Saleh watched the oil fields of his home town in northern Iraq burn, belching up thick smoke that blotted out the sun.
Helicopters drop warning leaflets as Indonesia braces for new protests
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for calm on Thursday amid simmering religious tension as helicopters dropped police leaflets over the capital, warning residents of the risk of harsh penalties if new rallies led by Islamists …
Taiwan lists the times it says China blocked its diplomatic space
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan is updating its foreign ministry website listing the times it says China blocked its international space, a move endorsed by the island’s independence-leaning ruling party on Thursday.
Iraqi Christians revisit ghost town abandoned by Islamic State
BARTELLA, Iraq (Reuters) – A damaged picture of Jesus and a CD from his daughter’s wedding were pretty much all Iraqi Christian Said Shaba found when he returned to the ransacked house he had to flee when Islamic State arrived two and a half years ago….
EU Parliament’s Schulz not seeking third mandate: sources
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The German speaker of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, will not seek a third term in an election in January, parliamentary sources said on Thursday and one said he would return to national politics.
Russia detains former Navy official in Crimea for spying for Ukraine: Interfax
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a former Russian navy official in Crimea who is accused of spying for the Ukrainian military, Interfax news agency cited the FSB as saying on Thursday.
Turkey has dismissed 10,500 state employees over suspected PKK links: minister
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – More than 10,500 state employees have been dismissed over suspected links with the Kurdish PKK militant group, Turkish Labour Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu said on Thursday in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.
Three Turkish soldiers killed in Islamic State attack in Syria’s al-Bab: sources
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Three Turkish soldiers were killed and seven others wounded in an Islamic State attack in Syria’s al-Bab region, security and hospital sources in Turkey said on Thursday.
