Nation & World Glance
Turkey warns as Syrian gov’t poised to enter Afrin
BEIRUT — Turkey warned the Syrian government Monday against entering the Kurdish-controlled enclave in northern Syria where a major Turkish military offensive is underway, saying it would hit back at the troops if their goal is to protect the Kurdish fighters.
The warning sets up a potential clash between Turkish troops and Syrian government forces backed by Russia and Iran, whose deployment would be a first step toward restoring President Bashar Assad’s presence along the border with Turkey.
The warning by the Turkish foreign minister came shortly after Syrian state media said pro-government forces would enter Afrin “within hours” to “bolster” local forces in confronting Turkey’s “aggression” after reaching an agreement with the Kurdish militia known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which controls Afrin.
Details of the deal were not announced by either side, and Kurdish officials said talks were still underway. By nightfall, no troops had entered Afrin.
‘A nightmare’: Banker tells tale of Latvian corruption
LONDON — Latvia’s top banking official explained the “rules of the game” for successful banking in the small European country. His sidekick sat the owner of Norvik bank down, scribbling the sum on a piece of paper: 100,000 euros ($125,000) a month.
An international complaint filed by Latvian bank Norvik alleges that a “Senior Latvian Official” repeatedly sought “to extort monetary bribes” and retaliated against the bank when its owners refused to pay up. The 39-page claim, filed before a World Bank arbitration body, did not name the Latvian official. That person is Ilmars Rimsevics, Norvik bank officials told The Associated Press.
Rimsevics, the country’s top banking official and a key member of the European Central Bank, was detained Saturday amid swirling accusations of bribery and money laundering schemes in Latvia that reach back to Russia.
He was released on bail Monday, and said he “rejects everything” about the allegations, Latvian state TV reported. The country’s anti-corruption agency said it suspects Rimsevics of “seeking a large-scale bribe” and has started a criminal investigation.
Was pirate Black Sam Bellamy found? DNA test could tell
YARMOUTH, Mass. — Researchers are working to use DNA to identify whether a human bone recovered from a Cape Cod shipwreck belongs to the infamous pirate Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy.
The Whydah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, publicly displayed the bone Monday. The objects were pulled from the Whydah Gally shipwreck several years ago.
The museum has enlisted forensic scientists to extract DNA and compare it with DNA from a living Bellamy descendant. Testing will take about a month.
The Whydah sank in 1717. The wreck was discovered in 1984. Most of its treasure is thought to remain on the ocean floor.
Forbes has listed Bellamy as the highest-earning pirate ever, plundering about $120 million worth of treasure in a little over a year.
Feathers fly as chicken shortage shuts KFCs across Britain
LONDON — Fast-food chain KFC has been forced to close most of its 900 outlets in Britain and Ireland because of a shortage of chicken
The company is blaming “teething problems” with its new delivery partner, DHL. KFC says those branches that are open are operating a limited menu or shortened hours. The company first apologized for the problems on Saturday. In an update Monday, it listed more than 200 stores as open, but did not say when the rest might reopen.