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.
Islamic State mines kill dozens of civilians returning to Ramadi
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Explosives planted by Islamic State have killed dozens of Iraqi civilians who returned to Ramadi despite warnings that much of the western city remains unsafe nearly four months after its recapture from the militants.
Brussels bomber Laachraoui was hostage gaoler in Syria: lawyer
PARIS (Reuters) – Brussels airport bomber Najim Laachraoui was one of the men who held four French journalists captive for months in Syria, the lawyer of two of the former hostages told Reuters on Friday.
U.S. split deepens over Putin’s intentions in Syria civil war
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russia’s latest military moves in Syria have sharpened divisions within the U.S. administration over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin genuinely backs a U.N.-led initiative to end the civil war or is using the negotiations to mask renewed military support for Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Swedish government coalition divided as long term problems mount
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Floundering and divided in the face of an asylum crisis and with record low voter support, Sweden’s minority Social Democrat-Green government could disintegrate or be toppled well before its term runs out.
Exclusive: Beijing auditions foreign public relations firms to polish China brand
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – Five global public relations firms have made pitches to the Chinese government for a potential new campaign, four sources said, as Beijing tries to communicate more effectively with the West.
