Mexico explores regulating opium to fight drug violence
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s government has explored regulating poppy production to make pharmaceutical opiates like morphine in an effort to weaken heroin-smuggling gangs, according to two sources with knowledge of the government’s thinking.
Four Turkish academics released pending trial on terror propaganda: Dogan
ANKARA (Reuters) – Four Turkish academics jailed on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda were released pending trial by an Istanbul court on Friday, the Dogan news agency reported.
Sri Lanka’s police chief vows to maintain independence in probe of ex-leader
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new police chief, reacting to public charges of bias, said on Friday he would ensure that a police investigation into alleged financial crimes by the family and friends of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa would be impa…
Peru’s Fujimori and Kuczynski seen tied in poll on June run-off
LIMA (Reuters) – Keiko Fujimori, the populist daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori, and her rival Pedro Pablo Kuczynski were seen in a statistical dead-heat ahead of the June 5 presidential election, according to a poll by Datum.
Warplane crashes near Damascus, causes unclear: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A warplane in Syria crashed southwest of Damascus on Friday, and it was not clear if it had been brought down by insurgent gunfire or suffered a technical fault, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.
Merkel’s Turkey visit aims to soothe tensions on EU migrant deal
ANKARA/BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel will use a visit to Turkey this weekend to try to soothe tensions over a deal meant to stem the flow of migrants to Europe, as questions about its effectiveness and long-term viability mount.
Pakistan arrests al Qaeda operative named in U.N. sanctions list: police
KARACHI (Reuters) – Police in the Pakistani city of Karachi have arrested an al Qaeda operative who is on the United Nations sanctions list, a police official said on Friday.
Jews and Serbs boycott Croatia’s remembrance of death camp victims
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croatia held a memorial ceremony on Friday for tens of thousands of people who died at the World War Two Jasenovac concentration camp, but it was boycotted by Jewish and Serb groups unhappy at official handling of recent neo-Nazi inc…
Libyan lawmakers say majority back unity plan, but no vote yet
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Libya’s internationally recognized parliament, which was forced out of the capital by factional violence, failed to vote for a unity government this week, but a majority of members restated their support and urged it to star…
Islamic State bomber kills nine at Baghdad mosque
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A suicide bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed at least nine people following Friday prayers at a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in southwestern Baghdad, police and hospital sources said.
