Pakistan wants air force upgrade for prolonged militant fight
PARIS (Reuters) – Pakistan wants to upgrade its aging fleet of fighter jets in anticipation of a prolonged battle against Islamist militants, although the purchase of fifth-generation planes would only be a last resort, a senior air force official said…
Irish lawmaker says confident party will reject coalition offer
DUBLIN (Reuters) – A senior member of Ireland’s second largest party said on Thursday he is “pretty confident” his colleagues will roundly reject an offer for an unprecedented coalition with the party of acting prime minister Enda Kenny.
Rights group urges Iraqi forces to allow aid into ‘starving’ Falluja
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called on Iraqi forces to allow aid to enter the Islamic State-held city of Falluja where it said tens of thousands of residents face acute shortages of food and medicine.
Sweden charges man with preparing suicide bombing
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden is charging a 20-year-old man with terrorism for allegedly building a suicide bomb with the intent of staging an attack in Sweden.
South Sudan’s opposition leader Machar to return to Juba on April 18
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s opposition leader Riek Machar said on Thursday he would return to the capital Juba on April 18, the first time since conflict broke out in December 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and rebels allied with …
Turkey’s Erdogan says no migrant deal if EU doesn’t fulfill pledges
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey will not go through with an agreement to take back Syrian migrants from Europe if the European Union does not fulfill its pledges, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
U.S., Turkey discuss ways Syrian opposition can push Islamic State east
ANKARA (Reuters) – U.S. officials are discussing with the Turkish military and government how the moderate Syrian opposition can push Islamic State farther east in Syria, Washington’s ambassador to Ankara said on Thursday.
Rocket fire from Syria wounds three people in Turkish border town
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – As many as three people were wounded when rocket fire from an Islamic State-controlled area in northern Syria entered Turkish territory, striking the border town of Kilis on Thursday, security sources.
Indonesia to resume executions as it steps up ‘war on drugs’
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia said on Thursday it will resume executions of drug traffickers this year, after a brief hiatus since last year’s controversial executions of mostly foreign convicts.
Turkish military hits PKK targets near Iraqi border: statement
ANKARA (Reuters) – The Turkish military hit targets belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) near the Iraqi border, the military said in a statement on Thursday.
