NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Globe
1 North Korea talks: The U.S. is ready to negotiate with longtime adversary North Korea as it has with Iran, but Pyongyang has to be serious about abandoning nuclear weapons, President Obama said Friday. Obama was speaking after meeting with South Korean President Park Geunhye, a close ally, who echoed the U.S. leader’s view. The North has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006 and is developing a mobile ballistic missile that could potentially hit the U.S. Obama said Iran had been prepared to have a “serious conversation” about the possibility of giving up the pursuit of nuclear weapons. He said there’s no indication of that in North Korea’s case.
2 Iraq retakes refinery: Iraqi government troops backed by Shiite militia fighters have driven out Islamic State group militants from a key oil refinery north of Baghdad in a wide-scale military operation, authorities said Friday. The forces retook Beiji refinery, Iraq’s largest which has been idle since June last year. There was also no word on the fate of the nearby town of Beiji, which fell to Islamic State a year ago, The town is strategically significant as it lies on the road to Islamic State-held Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city.
3 Yemen conflict: Security and medical officials say Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels have driven pro-government troops out of the southern Bayda province, after two months of heavy clashes that killed 550 fighters from both sides. The officials say the Houthis recaptured a key military base in the town of Mukayris and pushed pro-government troops back to Abyan province further south on Friday. Yemen’s fighting pits the Houthis, who are allied with army units loyal to a former president, against the coalition-backed, internationally recognized government.
4 Nigeria suicide bombings: Four female suicide bombers blew themselves up early Friday when challenged by soldiers as they tried to enter a city in northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 18 people and themselves. Maiduguri, a city that was the birthplace of Boko Haram and is now the home base of government forces trying to crush the Islamic extremists, has been hit by a series of bombings, exacting a terrible toll among civilians. The attack on Friday came just hours after two bombs exploded near a Maiduguri mosque, killing at least 30 people. Boko Haram wants to enforce an extreme interpretation of Islamic law across Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer with a population of about 170 million split almost equally between Christians and Muslims.
5 Burkina Faso coup: A military prosecutor in Burkina Faso says the general who took power in a recent coup attempt has been charged with crimes against humanity. Gen. Gilbert Diendere had already been charged with 10 other counts, including attacking national security and murder. Prosecutor Col. Sita Sangare said Friday that Diendere will go before a military tribunal, though he did not say when. Sangare said 23 others were charged for the short-lived coup.