Reuters World News Summary

08/28/2016 8:59

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Bangladesh police identify dead militants linked to Dhaka cafe attack

One of the three militants killed by Bangladeshi security forces on Saturday in connection with July's Dhaka cafe attack came from a posh area of the city like some of the attackers and went to a prestigious foreign university, police said on Sunday. Towsif Hossain was from Dhaka's leafy Dhanmondi neighborhood and was missing since February. Like Nibras Islam, one of the five young and affluent cafe attackers who was killed after a 12-hour siege on July 2, Hossain had also attended the Kuala Lumpur campus of Australia's prestigious Monash University, the head of the Dhaka police counterterrorism unit told reporters.

Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to replace envoy who riled Shi'ite militias

Iraq asked Saudi Arabia on Sunday to replace its ambassador in Baghdad after his comments about Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs and the alleged persecution of Sunni Muslims angered local Shi'ite Muslim politicians and militia leaders. The request by Baghdad's Shi'ite-led government underscores the depth of enmity between Sunni and Shi'ite regional powers as sectarian conflicts rage in Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

Turkish army thrusts deeper into Syria, monitors say 35 villagers killed

Turkey's army and its allies thrust deeper into Syria on Sunday, seizing territory controlled by Kurdish-aligned forces on the fifth day of a cross-border campaign that a monitoring group said had killed at least 35 villagers. Turkish warplanes roared into northern Syria at daybreak and its artillery pounded what security sources said were sites held by Kurdish YPG militia, after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fierce overnight fighting around two villages.

More bodies located beneath rubble in Italy quake zone

Rescuers believe they have located more bodies in the ruined town of Amatrice, five days after a devastating earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least 290 people. Residents of the hill town said up to 10 people were still missing and emergency services said they might have located three corpses in Amatrice's Hotel Roma, which, like much of the historic center, was wrecked by Wednesday's quake.

Russia lifts ban on charter flights to Turkey

Russia on Sunday lifted its ban on charter flights to Turkey, the government said on its website. Russia banned charter flights to Turkey, which was a popular holiday destination for Russians, after the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military last November.

New tans, same old 'polycrisis' as Europe's summer ends

The European Union grinds back into action this week after its August break, still dazed by Britain's midsummer vote to quit the EU and facing much the same "polycrisis" as a year ago: a mass of refugees, a fragile economy, hostile Russians and, yes, those Brits, now more awkward than ever. When President Jean-Claude Juncker makes his annual State of the Union address to Parliament in Strasbourg on Sept. 14, he might easily repeat last year's warning: the EU had a "last chance" to save itself from a tide of centrifugal nationalisms.

Iran arrests nuclear negotiator suspected of spying

Iran has arrested a member of the team that negotiated a landmark nuclear deal with world powers on suspicion of spying, a judiciary spokesman said on Sunday. The suspect was released on bail after a few days in jail but is still under investigation, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said at a regular weekly news conference, calling the unidentified individual a "spy who had infiltrated the nuclear team," state media reported.

Spain starts countdown to possible third national election in year

The clock starts ticking on Wednesday towards what could be Spain's third national election in a year when acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy faces a confidence vote in parliament for a second term in office. Spain has been without a functioning government since inconclusive elections in December and June failed to hand a convincing mandate to any political party. So far, party leaders have been unable to agree on forming a coalition.

Half of Germans against Merkel serving fourth term: poll

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's domestic popularity has declined, a poll showed on Sunday, with 50 percent of Germans against her serving a fourth term in office after a federal election next year. A series of violent attacks on civilians in July, two of which were claimed by Islamic State, have focused attention on Merkel's open-door migrant policy, which allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere into Germany last year.

Turkish army kills seven Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey: media

Turkish forces killed at least 7 members of the outlawed Kurdish PKK militant group in clashes on Sunday in southeast Turkey near its border with Iraq, Turkish media reported. Two Turkish soldiers were also wounded in the clashes that started after PKK militants opened fire on Turkish soldiers, privately run Dogan news agency reported.

08/28/2016 8:59