Sept 22 (Reuters) - Nine people were injured and 44 were arrested by police during a second night of violent protests overnight in Charlotte, North Carolina, the police chief said on Thursday.

ABUJA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Nigeria has hunted down 700,000 firms that have never paid taxes as the country seeks new revenue sources to offset low oil prices that have pushed Africa's biggest economy into its first recession in more than 20 years, its tax chief said.

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - The European Union's top court took a step on Thursday towards confirming the removal of Hamas and the Tamil Tigers from an EU terrorism blacklist, despite protestations from Israel and the Sri Lankan government.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's air force closed a major highway on Thursday to let it practice landing jets on the road, in what it said was routine training not related to heightened tension with India after a deadly attack in the disputed Kashmir region.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A senior British official made clear during a meeting with ambassadors from European Union countries in London this week that his government wants a signal from the EU about what kind of Brexit deal it is willing to accept before triggering divorce talks, EU sources said.

BURG RASHID, Egypt (Reuters) - Mohamed Mabrouk hoped to sail from Egypt to a better future in Europe. But just before sunrise on Wednesday, the teen called his uncle in a panic as the boat carrying him and hundreds more migrants across the Mediterranean was overwhelmed by water.

LAGOS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Nigerian troops have been fighting with the Boko Haram militant group over control of a northeastern town, the army said on Wednesday.

ISTANBUL, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A second rocket hit the Turkish border town of Kilis on Thursday, injuring one person, local mayor Hasan Kara told broadcaster CNN Turk.

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces backed by air strikes from the U.S.-led coalition gained complete control of the northern district of Shirqat on Thursday, bringing the military a step closer to a main push on Mosul later this year.