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Six children, including a baby, died when a dinghy carrying Afghan migrants capsized off Turkey, reports say. The Turkish coastguard rescued eight others from the Aegean Sea near the western city of Izmir. The latest tragedy came a day after the body of a young girl was found washed up on a nearby beach. More than 3,500 people have died ...

Syria’s disparate political and armed opposition factions are coming together in Saudi Arabia for a conference aimed at pursuing peace talks. Representatives will attempt to agree a common position from which to negotiate with the government of Bashar al-Assad. It is the first time most of the main rebel groups have been involved in peace moves since the conflict began. ...

The Afghan Taliban released an audio message Saturday it said was from leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, vehemently rejecting reports of his death in a firefight with his own commanders as “enemy propaganda”. The 16-minute file said those “rumours” had been deliberately planted to weaken the Taliban, which has seen a new resurgence under the firebrand supremo despite its internal divisions. ...

At least 18 labourers, including 11 women, were killed and 16 others injured when an overloaded pickup van rammed into a stationary truck in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh in India on Saturday night . The accident took place in Dholapani area of the district when the labourers were returning to their village after work, police said. “The pickup van rammed into a ...

Myanmar’s former military ruler sees erstwhile foe Aung San Suu Kyi as the country’s “future leader” and has pledged support for her in a secret meeting, the general’s grandson said. Details of Friday’s meeting between the two was revealed by General Than Shwe’s grandson, who acted as intermediary. He said in a Facebook post the meeting had lasted two-and-a-half hours. ...

France votes in first election since Paris attacks France is set to vote in the first round of regional elections, the first electoral challenge since the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people. The elections are viewed as a test of public support for the government’s response to the attacks on 13 November. The far-right National Front (FN) is hoping to ...

A mid-air miscommunication between pilot and co-pilot in response to a recurring technical issue caused AirAsia flight QZ8501 to plunge into the Java Sea last December, Indonesian investigators have said. The Airbus A320-200 was en route to Singapore from the Indonesian city of Surabaya on the morning of 28 December when it lost contact with air traffic control 42 minutes ...

Rejecting insinuation of complicity in committing crimes or war atrocities in 1971, Pakistan yesterday summoned Bangladesh acting High Commissioner in Islamabad, apparently in retaliation to the summoning of its envoy to Dhaka about a week ago. “The Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (Monday) by Director General (SA & SAARC) and was ...

Saudi women running for public office next month for the first time ever begin campaigning Sunday in another step forward for women’s rights in the conservative kingdom’s slow democratic process. Around 900 women are standing in the December 12 municipal elections, which will also be the first time females have been allowed to participate in choosing officials. “This is one ...

Russia has accused Turkey of shooting down its warplane near the border with Syria in order to protect its oil trade with the Islamic State (IS) group. Speaking at international talks on climate change in Paris, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the downing of the plane a “huge mistake”. Turkey has denied any ties to IS and is part of ...