Kremlin says favors all-for-all prisoner swap with Ukraine
Russia continues work on arranging a fresh prisoner swap with Ukraine and favors an all-for-all exchange, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, after the government in Kiev said a large-scale swap could happen as early as next week.
Turkish university to open faculties in northern Syria
Turkey’s Gaziantep University will open three faculties in small northern Syria towns, Ankara’s Official Gazette said on Friday, reflecting a growing Turkish presence in the region.
Death toll from Iraq unrest rises to 44: sources
The death toll from three days of anti-government protests in Iraq climbed to 44, police and medical sources told Reuters on Friday.
At least four killed in cargo plane crash landing in Ukraine
At least four crew were killed on Friday when a Ukrainian Antonov-12 cargo airplane made an emergency landing near the western airport of Lviv after disappearing from radar, officials said.
After pressing Iran for answers, IAEA reports improved cooperation
Iran has improved its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA’s acting chief said on Friday, as it presses for answers to questions it will not spell out but that diplomats say include how uranium traces were found at an undeclared site.
British minister says ‘deplores’ any drill close to Cyprus
A British minister on Friday said Britain ‘deplored’ any drilling in waters close to Cyprus as a row escalated between Nicosia and Turkey, which was poised to start searching for oil and gas south of the island.
Hong Kong leader invokes emergency powers to quell escalating violence
Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era emergency powers on Friday for the first time in more than 50 years in a dramatic move intended to quell escalating violence in the Chinese-ruled city.
Northern Ireland police will not staff border checkpoints, chief says
The police in Northern Ireland will not staff border security after Brexit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s chief constable said on Thursday.
Iraqi forces fire at protesters in Baghdad after PM pledges vague reform
Police shot at a small group of protesters in Baghdad on Friday after three deadly days of anti-government unrest, and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said no “magic solution” was available, pledging vague reform unlikely to placate Iraqis.
Factbox: What people are saying about Hong Kong government invoking emergency laws
Hong Kong’s government invoked a British colonial-era law on Friday for the first time in more than 50 years as the Chinese-ruled territory grapples with an escalating cycle of violence that poses a direct challenge to President Xi Jinping.
