Turkey offers to mediate between US, Iran
AP, Ankara
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is willing to mediate between the United States and Iran to ease tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
In comments published Thursday, Erdogan said he had discussed the issue of a possible mediation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of a G-20 meeting. Erdogan says Abe asked the Turkish leader whether Turkey and Japan could act together, to which Erdogan responded that he would be willing to meet with Iran’s leaders.
Mexican police protest President’s National Guard plan
AFP, Mexico City
Hundreds of federal police blocked roads and protested in Mexico City Wednesday against President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s plan to merge them into his new National Guard.
The leftist leader is launching the new security force in a bid to fight violent crime fueled by drug trafficking and also curb chronic corruption in the police.
Australia proposes to ban extremists’ return for 2 years
AP, Canberra
Australia’s government on Thursday proposed new laws that would prevent extremist Australians from returning home for up to two years, as the country prepares for the repatriation of Islamic State group supporters from the Middle East.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton introduced the legislation based on British law as part of a raft of counterterrorism and asylum seeker bills in the first parliamentary session since elections in May.
27 dead as fishing boat sinks off Honduras
AFP, Tegucigalpa
At least 27 people died and nine were missing Wednesday when their fishing boat sank off the Caribbean coast of Honduras, the country’s military said. Armed forces spokesman Jose Meza said that 55 people survived when the vessel sank off the remote coastal Mosquitia region.
Ninety-one people were aboard the boat, the 70-tonne “Wallie,” when it set sail from Cabo Gracias a Dios – on the country’s easternmost point bordering Nicaragua – after a seasonal ban on lobster fishing was lifted.
Emirates to resume Khartoum flights
AFP, Dubai
The Middle East’s largest carrier, Emirates Airline, said Thursday it has decided to resume flights to Sudan from July 8 after a one-month suspension in the face of deadly unrest.
“After closely monitoring the situation in Sudan and conducting an exhaustive review of all operational factors, we have decided to resume our services to Khartoum,” Emirates said in a statement. The carrier suspended its services to Sudan in early June along with fellow UAE carriers Etihad and Flydubai.
