Turkish PM Davutoglu bows out as Erdogan aims at stronger presidency
ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Ahmet Davutoglu announced on Thursday that he was stepping down as leader of Turkey’s ruling AK Party and therefore as prime minister, bowing to President Tayyip Erdogan’s drive to create a powerful executive presidency.
U.S. embassy in Kabul warns of kidnap threat
KABUL (Reuters) – The United States embassy in Kabul issued an emergency security warning to U.S. citizens on Thursday after an attempted kidnapping of an American and a number of other foreigners in the Afghan capital earlier in the week.
Ex-Venezuela parliament head sues News Corp over drug article
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The former head of Venezuela’s National Assembly filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the Wall Street Journal of libeling him in an article in which it was reported that he was the target of a U.S. drug trafficking probe.
London mayor may be Labour’s lone bright spot in local elections
LONDON (Reuters) – Labour candidate Sadiq Khan looked set on Thursday to become the first Muslim elected mayor of London, loosening the ruling Conservatives’ hold on Britain’s financial center after a campaign marred by charges of anti-Semitism and ext…
‘Trump of the East’ widens lead in last poll before Philippine vote
MANILA (Reuters) – The front-runner to be the next president of the Philippines, tough-talking city mayor Rodrigo Duterte, widened his lead in the last opinion poll before Monday’s election.
Iraq PM orders probe after Amnesty report on detention centers
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered an investigation on Thursday into a makeshift holding center where Amnesty International said more than 1,000 people were being held without charge in “inhumane and degrading conditions”….
Italy, Germany agree on immigration policy, but not on financing
ROME (Reuters) – Italy and Germany agree on how Europe should tackle the migrant crisis and oppose any move to fence off borders, but they are at odds over how to fund proposed initiatives, the leaders of the two countries said on Thursday.
Britain’s ‘In’ campaign leads by 4 percent points: JPMorgan poll analysis
LONDON (Reuters) – The campaign to keep Britain in the European Union is 4 percentage points ahead of the “Out” campaign, though that lead has halved since February, JPMorgan said in an analysis of recent opinion polls.
Several wounded after rockets hit residential area in Turkish border town: official
ANKARA (Reuters) – Two rockets from Islamic State-controlled Syrian territory have struck a residential area in Turkish border town of Kilis, injuring several people, a Turkish official said on Thursday.
Irish foreign minister says no deal yet on new government
DUBLIN (Reuters) – The party of Irish prime minister Enda Kenny has not yet secured the support of enough independent deputies to form a minority government, acting foreign minister Charlie Flanagan said on Thursday, denying reports that an agreement h…
