Suicide bomber kills at least three in southeast Iran – deputy governor
At least three people died and 24 others were injured in a suicide car bomb attack on the police headquarters in Iran’s southeast on Thursday, state media reported, adding that the perpetrator was killed.
Pakistan’s army says it backs U.S. peace talks with Afghan Taliban
Pakistan’s army on Thursday threw its support behind the latest U.S. efforts for a political settlement with the Afghan Taliban to end a 17-year-old war, urging Washington to leave Kabul as a friend of the region rather than a “failure”.
Overuse, maintenance problems strain Afghan army helicopter fleet
A deadly mix of hard use and poor maintenance has taken a heavy toll in recent months on Afghanistan’s aging fleet of Soviet-era helicopters, one of the mainstays of its air support while U.S. Black Hawk helicopters enter service over coming years.
Afghan election bodies at loggerheads over vote in capital
Afghanistan’s top election authority on Thursday rejected a ruling by the Electoral Complaints Commission that fraud and mismanagement had rendered invalid the votes cast in Kabul, the capital, during last October’s parliamentary election.
Hungary’s Orban exempts pro-government media group from scrutiny
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has exempted a mammoth pro-government media group from scrutiny by the national competition watchdog, according to a decree published late on Wednesday.
No delay to UK parliament’s Brexit vote despite report of warning to May
Parliament’s vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal will go ahead on Dec. 11, her office said on Thursday, despite a newspaper report ministers had sought a delay to prevent a defeat so big it might bring down the government.
Pope to visit United Arab Emirates in February
Pope Francis will visit Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in February, the Vatican said on Thursday, in his seventh trip to a predominantly Muslim nation to call for inter-religious peace.
French finance minister: prepared to step up tax cuts, spending cuts
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday that he was always prepared to step up the government’s tax cutting plans as long as they were accompanied by spending cuts.
Yemen warring sides agree at start of talks to free thousands of prisoners
Yemen’s warring sides agreed to free thousands of prisoners on Thursday, in what a U.N. mediator called a hopeful start to the first peace talks in years to end a war that has pushed millions of people on the verge of starvation.
Red Cross says it is ready to play role in Yemeni prisoner swap
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday it was ready to play a role in the Yemeni prisoner swap and voiced hope that the deal between the warring sides would build confidence for a political solution to end the war.
