AFP, Ankara
Turkey and Saudi Arabia on Thursday warned Russia over the consequences of its intervention in Syria, with Ankara telling Moscow its bombing campaign in support of the regime was a “big mistake”.
The two majority Sunni Muslim powers both support the moderate opposition in Syria and have been infuriated by Moscow’s bombing campaign to prop the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Netanyahu to visit India
PTI, On Board President’s Special Flight
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited by President Pranab Mukherjee to pay an official visit to India.
Mr Mukherjee, the first Indian Head of State to visit Israel, disclosed to reporters on board his special flight from Tel Aviv to New Delhi last night that besides Netanyahu he had also invited his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin to India.
Hungary to consider closing border with Croatia
Reuters, Budapest
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday he would hold last-ditch talks at a European Union summit on the migration crisis before making a final decision on whether to close the Hungary-Croatia border.
Hungary has already sealed off its border with Serbia, after a massive wave of people fleeing violence and poverty in the Middle East and Africa has made its way toward Western Europe via the Balkans.
Texas wildfires area declared state of disaster
Reuters, Austin
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster on Thursday in a central Texas county hit by a wildfire that has destroyed 34 structures, sent scores of people fleeing for safety and scorched nearly 7 square miles.
Abbott said he has authorized the deployment of military helicopters for the fire that has hit Bastrop County, east of Austin. He also sought a fire assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was immediately approved.
Taliban signal willingness to resume dialogue
Dawn.com, Islamabad
Afghan Taliban signalled on Thursday their willingness to resume dialogue for a political settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan, but insisted that their conditions for the withdrawal of foreign forces and establishment of an Islamic government should be met for the process to start.
California storm causes flash flooding
AP, Los Angeles
Flash flooding sent water, mud and rocks rushing across Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles Thursday, stranding hundreds of vehicles and closing the major north-south thoroughfare.
The flooding at Fort Tejon, about 75 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, was part of a storm system that brought downpours across a wide swath of northern Los Angeles County.
