Turkish courts reject requests to free Kurdish lawmakers
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish courts on Monday rejected bids by five Kurdish lawmakers to be released from lengthy detention while on trial, a move that could undermine confidence in a fragile peace process with Kurdish militants.
In echo of Bush, UK’s Cameron says mission accomplished in Afghanistan
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday that British troops could leave Afghanistan next year with a sense of having accomplished their mission, despite worries about the ongoing Taliban insurgency, drug cultivation and human rig…
Ex-senior security official surrenders after Congo gunbattle
BRAZZAVILLE (Reuters) – Republic of Congo’s former deputy intelligence chief was arrested on Monday following an intense gun battle that killed at least seven people in the capital Brazzaville, a senior police official and a witness said.
U.N. seeks $6.5 billion for Syria crisis in 2014
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations appealed for a record $6.5 billion for Syria and its neighbors on Monday to help 16 million people, many of them hungry or homeless victims of a conflict that has lasted 33 months with no end in sight.
Russia says kills leader of Caucasus militant group, three others
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian security forces have killed four militants including the leader of a group suspected of carrying out attacks on tourists and ski facilities in the North Caucasus, a government agency said on Monday.
Italy could be racked by violent unrest, president warns
ROME (Reuters) – President Giorgio Napolitano warned on Monday that Italy could be plunged into violent social unrest unless the government swiftly introduced reforms to help struggling citizens, following a week of protests in cities across the countr…
Kerry, Zarif spoke last week after fresh Iran-related sanctions
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. and Iranian foreign ministers last week discussed the importance of carrying out the November 24 Iran nuclear deal after Washington blacklisted 19 companies, people and vessels for dealing with Tehran, a U.S. official sa…
Russia has stationed Iskander missiles in western region: reports
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has deployed Iskander missiles with a range of hundreds of kilometers in its Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported on Monday.
Turkish ruling party MP quits over row with cleric
ANKARA (Reuters) – A Turkish member of parliament and former international football player quit Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party on Monday in protest at a government row with an influential Islamic cleric, local media reported.
Scores killed in Iraq bloodshed ahead of Shi’ite holy day
TIKRIT (Reuters) – Suicide bombers and gunmen killed scores of people in Iraq on Monday in attacks mostly targeting Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims and official buildings ahead of a major Shi’ite ritual next week.
