Iraq passes electoral reforms but deadlock remains
Iraq’s parliament approved on Tuesday a new electoral law, a key demand of protesters to make elections fairer, but political deadlock is still holding up the selection of an interim prime minister, threatening renewed unrest.
Family members of man killed during Iran protests arrested: Mehr news agency
Iranian authorities have arrested relatives of a young man who was shot dead during demonstrations last month, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday, citing an informed source.
Turkish parliament readying bill to allow sending troops to Libya
Turkey may need to draft a bill to allow for troop deployment to Libya and its parliament is working on the issue, Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday, after Ankara signed a military cooperation agreement with Tripoli last month.
Russian court extends detention of ex-Marine Moscow calls a spy
A Russian court on Tuesday extended by three months the detention of Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine accused by Moscow of spying, a decision his family and U.S. officials condemned as unjust.
Nigeria orders release of Sowore and Dasuki after court orders: attorney general
Nigeria’s attorney general on Tuesday ordered the release on bail of an ex-presidential candidate and a former national security adviser, in recognition of court orders that they be released.
Hong Kong police fire tear gas to break up Christmas Eve protest chaos
Hong Kong riot police fired rounds of tear gas at thousands of protesters, many wearing masks and reindeer horns, after scuffles in shopping malls and in a prime tourist district as pro-democracy rallies escalated into Christmas Eve chaos.
Turkey says parliament working on bill to allow troop deployment to Libya
Turkey may need to draft a bill to allow for troop deployment to Libya and its parliament is working on the issue, Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday, after Ankara signed a military cooperation agreement with Tripoli last month.
Russia’s most advanced Su-57 fighter jet suffers first crash
One of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jets crashed on Tuesday in the Far East during a test flight, the plane’s maker said, the first accident of its kind involving what is the country’s most advanced warplane.
Russian-backed Syrian forces close in on major city in rebel-held Idlib
Russian-backed Syrian troops have encircled a Turkish observation post as they approach the city of Maarat al-Numan in an offensive into the last significant rebel pocket of Syria, sources on both sides said on Tuesday.
Turkey says Russia will work to halt attacks in Syria’s Idlib
Russia will work to stop attacks in the northwestern Syrian region of Idlib after talks with a Turkish delegation in Moscow, Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday, adding that Turkey expected this to be realized.
