Asked about Taliban, Afghan leader touts success against Islamic State
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday played down recent failures to jump start peace talks with the Taliban, instead choosing to highlight recent successes against the nascent Islamic State presence in Afghanistan.
Macedonia dumps migrants back in Greece as EU-Turkey deal falters
IDOMENI, Greece/NICOSIA (Reuters) – Macedonia dumped about 1,500 migrants and refugees back into Greece overnight after they forced their way across the border, as European nations continued to pass the buck in a migration crisis that risks tearing the…
Austria to tighten checks at Italian border crossing soon: minister
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria will have to introduce tougher controls at the Brenner border crossing with Italy, a vital north-south transport link, Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said on Tuesday, anticipating a surge in arrivals.
Benin to deploy troops to anti-Boko Haram task force
COTONOU (Reuters) – Benin will deploy 150 troops next month to assist a regional task force battling Islamist militant group Boko Haram, a statement from the task force said on Tuesday.
Berlin police say no ‘terrorist’ background to car explosion
BERLIN (Reuters) – German police said there was no indication of a “terrorist” link to a car explosion in central Berlin which killed the driver on Tuesday morning and prosecutors said the victim was a 43-year old man previously investigated for drug d…
Iraqi commander sees Islamic State retrenching before Mosul battle
MAKHMOUR, Iraq (Reuters) – Islamic State is retrenching as Iraqi forces build up for an operation to retake the northern city of Mosul and some local militants desert the group, the commander in charge of the highly anticipated offensive said.
Bahraini activist begins jail term for ripping up photo of king: lawyer
DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahraini activist Zainab al-Khawaja has begun a two-month prison sentence for tearing up a photo of the king, her lawyer said on Tuesday.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta to be made Roman Catholic saint Sept. 4: pope
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a nun who dedicated her life to helping the poor, will be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church at a ceremony on Sept. 4, Pope Francis announced on Tuesday.
Islamic State’s Shishani unhurt: Amaq news agency
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A news agency that supports Islamic State denied on Tuesday reports that the group’s senior operative Abu Omar al-Shishani (the Chechen) had been killed or wounded.
Cyprus says cannot give consent to opening Turkey EU chapters
NICOSIA (Reuters) – The Cypriot government said on Tuesday it could not consent to the European Union entering a new phase with Turkey in its bid to join the bloc, potentially scuppering an accord between the EU and Ankara on stemming the influx of ref…
