News in brief

Iraq will prevent attacks on Turkey: Abadi
Reuters, Baghdad
Iraq’s armed forces have instructions to prevent “foreign fighters” from launching cross-border attacks on Turkey, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told his Turkish counterpart, Binali Yildirim.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey’s intelligence chief would meet an Iraqi official to discuss an Iraqi military operation in Sinjar, a region of Iraq bordering on Turkey, where Ankara says Kurdish militants have established a base.Erdogan also said Turkey’s would do “what is necessary” if the Iraqi operation in Sinjar failed.

Vietnam detains dissident singer
Reuters, Hanoi
Vietnamese singer and activist Do Nguyen Mai Khoi, an outspoken campaigner for free speech, was detained in the capital Hanoi on Tuesday after flying home from Europe, her husband told Reuters.
Often dubbed a Vietnamese version of “Pussy Riot” or Lady Gaga because of her activism and provocative style, Mai Khoi was among dozens of dissidents on the watch-list of Communist-ruled Vietnam for her strong words against the system.

Putin holds Syria talks with Qatar Emir
AFP, Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Syria conflict with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Moscow Monday, as Syrian regime forces, backed by Moscow, close in on the last vestiges of rebel resistance around Damascus.
The talks, the first between Putin and the Qatari leader for two years, were focussed on “boosting bilateral cooperation in various fields… and on the situation in Syria,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Uzbekistan to host Afghan talks
AFP, Tashkent
 Uzbekistan threw open its doors Tuesday for a multilateral meeting on Afghanistan aiming to lay the ground for direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban.
Set to appear at the Tuesday meeting following various closed-door talks in the capital Tashkent on Monday were Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini.

2 Indian reporters killed in attacks
AP, New Delhi
Two Indian journalists have been killed in separate hit-and-run incidents that rights groups and their families describe as deliberate attacks.
Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday that reporter Navin Nischal was killed Sunday evening when an SUV rammed the motorcycle that he was riding with a colleague.

Egyptians vote in 2nd day of election
AFP, Cairo
Polls opened in Egypt on Tuesday for the second day of a presidential election incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win easily against a little-known rival.
Few voters could be seen at one polling station which opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT) in Cairo.