Exclusive: Pakistan Taliban agrees to ceasefire to help Afghan allies
KABUL (Reuters) – The Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan have secretly agreed to focus on carrying out operations in Afghanistan, with Pakistani militants announcing a ceasefire with their government in order to preserve militant bases used to stage c…
Canary Island emergency services mistake ship for crashed plane
MADRID (Reuters) – The Canary Islands emergency services on Thursday said staff mistook a large tugboat pulling a ship for a crashed plane two miles off Gran Canaria Island, moments after saying that a plane had fallen into the sea.
Croatian court rules to extradite Yugoslav-era spy chief to Germany
ZAGREB (Reuters) – A Croatian court ruled on Thursday that the head of former Yugoslavia’s secret service can be extradited to Germany where he is wanted for the killing of a dissident in 1983.
Ahead of vote, Erdogan paints picture of Turkey besieged by enemies
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – To the adulation of the cheering crowds at his election rallies, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan paints a picture of an “evil alliance” plotting to topple him and break Turkey. In another place, on another day, his chief rival portra…
Trapped at sea, tanker captain craved salvation from Libya rebels
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Pakistani sea captain Mirza Noman Baig knew he was trapped when dozens of fighters armed with rifles boarded his tanker just off a rebel-held port on Libya’s coast.
U.N. launches Sri Lanka war crimes investigation
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations on Thursday launched an inquiry into war crimes allegedly committed by both Sri Lankan state forces and Tamil rebels during their conflict that ended in 2009, saying the government had failed to investigate properl…
South Korea seizes North Korean boat amid new tensions
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s military on Thursday seized a North Korean fishing boat that it said had crossed a disputed maritime border after ignoring warnings to retreat amid growing tension between the two sides.
Support for Brazil president drops ahead of October vote
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Popular support for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has faltered ahead of October’s presidential election, a poll showed Thursday, although she remains a favorite to win a second term.
Israel to allow materials into Gaza for Turkish hospital
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel said on Thursday it will allow into the Gaza Strip construction materials and electric equipment to help build a Turkish-sponsored hospital, in a possible sign of improving ties with Ankara.
Turkey says Syrian air defences put Turkish jets under radar lock
ANKARA (Reuters) – Syrian air defence systems have “harassed” Turkish F-16 fighter jets patrolling their own airspace by repeatedly putting them under “radar lock”, suggesting they were about to be fired at, the Turkish military said on Thursday.
