Russia’s Lavrov, U.S.’s Kerry, in phone call, discuss Syria’s Aleppo
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed “normalization” of the situation in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
European lawmakers call for end to Turkey EU membership talks
STRASBOURG (Reuters) – The leaders of the European Parliament’s two largest groups called on Tuesday for the European Union to halt membership talks with Turkey because of its post-coup purges.
U.S. strike destroys bridge, restricts Islamic State in Mosul: official
BAGHDAD/GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. forces backing an Iraqi army campaign against Islamic State in Mosul carried out an air strike on a bridge spanning the Tigris river, restricting militant movements between western and eastern parts of the city, a U.S. o…
Italy court rejects appeal against constitutional referendum
ROME (Reuters) – A Rome court on Tuesday rejected an appeal against the wording of a Dec. 4 referendum on constitutional reform, bringing to a close a series of legal appeals against the vote, all of which have been rejected.
Houthi missile arsenal holds a key to future Yemen peace
DUBAI (Reuters) – A U.N. peace plan for Yemen seeks to deprive the country’s armed Houthi movement of its missile arsenal which Yemeni security sources say includes scores and maybe even hundreds of Soviet-era ballistic missiles pointed at their foes i…
Russia rejects U.S. criticism of Kaliningrad missile deployment
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian defense ministry official on Tuesday rejected U.S. criticism of the decision to deploy ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad, saying it was Moscow’s prerogative, local news agencies reported.
From soldiers to midwives, Turkey dismisses 15,000 more after coup bid
ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey dismissed 15,000 more state employees on Tuesday, from soldiers and police officers to tax inspectors and midwives, and shut 375 institutions and several news outlets, deepening purges carried out since a failed coup….
Week of renewed Aleppo strikes kills 141 in east, 16 in west: Observatory
BEIRUT (Reuters) – At least 141 civilians, including 18 children, have been killed in a week of renewed bombardment on the rebel-held eastern half of Aleppo which has devastated its hospitals, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
Turkish court starts umbrella trial of U.S.-based cleric Gulen, followers
ANKARA (Reuters) – The trial of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and 72 other people accused of trying to overthrow Turkey’s government began on Tuesday, with the case likely to be expanded to include charges related to an abortive coup in July.
Trial of Islamic State suspects shows Turkish security flaws before bombings
ANKARA (Reuters) – For two years, Haci Ali Durmaz says he used to cross the Turkish border into Syria, join the ranks of Islamic State for a few months, and then return to Turkey to work in construction.
