Kurdish militant group claims motorbike bombing in Istanbul: website
ANKARA (Reuters) – The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK), an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, said on Friday it carried out a bomb attack near a police station in Istanbul on Thursday that injured 10 people.
Turkey says Shi’ite role in Iraq’s Mosul battle will ‘increase problems’
ANKARA (Reuters) – Involving Shi’ite militias in an operation to drive Islamic State out of the Iraqi city of Mosul will not bring peace, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Friday, adding that Turkish-trained forces should be involved.
Germany to curb EU citizens’ access to welfare payments
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany plans to sharply curb EU citizens’ access to welfare benefits with new draft legislation that would save local communities billions of euros, government officials said on Friday.
Ghana to remove Gandhi statue because of his ‘alleged racism’
DAKAR (Reuters) – Ghana will move a statue of Mahatma Gandhi from its main university because of his “alleged past racist comments”, the foreign ministry said, while paying tribute to Gandhi’s role as a civil rights leader.
In Lebanon, getting Syrian children in school a huge task
NABATIEH, Lebanon (Reuters) – Twelve-year-old Abdulrahman has not set foot in a classroom for nearly three years. Instead of going to school, he works at the grocer’s downstairs from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., packing fruit and vegetables to support his family….
Russia considers military bases in Vietnam and Cuba: agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia is considering plans to restore military bases in Vietnam and Cuba that had served as pivots of Soviet global military power during the Cold War, Russian news agencies quoted Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov as s…
Sunni force pleads for Iraqi government help as Mosul fight looms
BASHIQA, Iraq (Reuters) – Abu Mahmoud, part of a 2,500-man predominantly Sunni Arab force pulled together to launch an offensive against Islamic State in the Iraqi city of Mosul, has heard from relatives the group has been threatening to behead anyone …
New Israeli settlement plan risks peace, EU says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Israel’s decision to build new settlements far inside the West Bank weakens prospects for peace with the Palestinians, the European Union’s diplomatic service said on Friday, echoing U.S. criticism that a two-state solution was at …
Caught in fee trap, South African university students rebel
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A protest against prohibitive fees threatens to derail South Africa’s university calendar but impoverished students like Mmakatleho Sefatsa, who already face expulsion over unpaid bills, say they have nothing to lose.
Lithuania’s Social Democrats face battle to keep power
VILNIUS (Reuters) – Lithuania’s ruling Social Democrats are likely to take the lead in the first round of a parliamentary election on Sunday after a campaign fought largely over Lithuania’s sluggish economy.
