Turkish parliament gives legal recognition to Kurdish peace talks
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament approved a legal framework on Thursday for peace talks with Kurdish militants in an important step towards ending a three-decade insurgency a few weeks before a presidential election.
U.N. urges Saudi Arabia to release activists, halt lashings
GENEVA (Reuters) – The top United Nations human rights official called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to release activists she said had been arrested for peacefully demanding freedoms, halt the use of lashings and investigate their alleged ill-treatment.
U.N. evacuates dozens of foreign staff from Libya
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – The United Nations has evacuated dozens of foreign staff from its mission in Libya due to a deteriorating security situation in the North African country, a U.N. spokesman said on Thursday.
EU imposes sanctions on South Sudanese military leaders
JUBA (Reuters) – The European Union announced travel bans and asset freezes on Thursday on two South Sudanese military leaders it said were violating ceasefire agreements put in place to stop fighting that has killed thousands.
Bruised Iraqi army leans on Shi’ite militias, volunteers
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The Iraqi soldier says he abandoned the army last week in despair. And while he still plans to fight he will not rejoin the unit he deserted in the western city of Ramadi.
Japan cyber attacks on government sites surge, government mulling steps to respond
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan has seen a surge in cases of irregular access to government computer systems and cyberattacks on operators of critical social infrastructure, and Tokyo is considering ways to respond, a top official said on Thursday.
China agrees to reduce FX intervention ‘as conditions permit’
BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. and Chinese leaders have agreed that China will reduce its intervention in the currency market when conditions are ripe, reaching an understanding on a prickly issue that has hurt ties between the world’s two biggest economies …
Likely new Indonesian leader warns against tampering with vote
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s likely next president, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, warned on Thursday against tampering with ballots ahead of a final count of votes from a disputed election.
Greek far-right Golden Dawn’s spokesman jailed awaiting trial
ATHENS (Reuters) – Golden Dawn lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris, the Greek far-right party’s main public face, was jailed on Thursday pending trial on gun possession charges, delivering a fresh blow to a party already reeling from a government-led crackdown.
Militants in Lebanon seek to emulate Islamic State
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The success of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has emboldened like-minded militants in Lebanon who believe they can emulate it, the interior minister said, confirming the militant Sunni group had now appeared in Beirut for the fi…
