AFP, Istanbul
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, officials said, amid rising international concern over a looming Syrian government assault on a rebel-held province bordering Turkey.
“President Erdogan will meet with Mr Putin on Monday,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a televised press conference on Friday.
EU sanction threat ‘no danger’ to Hungary: Orban
AFP, Budapest
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday a European Parliament vote to launch a sanctions procedure over rule-of-law concerns presented “no danger” to Hungary.
Dominant at home and a figurehead for populist and nationalist figures across Europe, Orban suffered a rare defeat Wednesday when the assembly in Strasbourg voted to take legal action against Hungary under Article Seven of the European Union’s treaty.
Taliban attack security outpost killing 6
AP, Kabul
An Afghan official says Taliban insurgents attacked a security outpost in northern Samangan province, killing six members of the local security force including local police and members of a militia loyal to the government.
A gun battle lasted several hours before reinforcements arrived and repulsed the attack, which took place late Thursday, Abdul Munir Rahimi, spokesman for the provincial police chief, told The Associated Press on Friday.
Maduro seeks deals with China
AFP, Beijing
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hailed China as a “big sister” as he prepared to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Friday, hoping to broker economic deals for his crisis-hit country. Maduro declared after landing in Beijing overnight that he came with “great expectations” to further deepen strategic ties with Venezuela’s key creditor.
The leftist leader said his visit would give a “big push” to energy investments, trade and the “successful financial relationship” between the two countries.
Roadside bomb
targeting Pakistan
security convoy kills 3
AP, Quetta
Pakistani police say a roadside bomb has exploded near a security convoy in the country’s southwest, killing three security personnel. Local police official Mohammad Azmat says Friday’s attack took place near the town of Pashi, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Pakistani militants and small nationalist groups have been blamed for previous such attacks in Baluchistan.
Separatist groups also often target security forces in a bid to get a larger share of provincial resources and wealth or outright autonomy from Islamabad.
