AFP, ANKARA: The head of a top European rights watchdog on Wednesday backed a “cleaning up” of Turkish state institutions after a failed coup blamed on supporters of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Council of Europe chief Thorbjorn Jagland—one of the most senior European officials…

AFP, PARIS: People infected with a common parasitic worm may be twice as likely to acquire the HIV virus that causes AIDS, a field study from Tanzania reported Wednesday. The parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti, is found in many areas in Africa where HIV infection rates are high, and can cause elephantiasis,…

AFP, JAKARTA: Volcanic eruptions in Indonesia in recent days have forced the closure of two airports and disrupted some flights to the holiday island of Bali, officials said Wednesday. Mount Gamalama on the eastern island of Ternate erupted early Wednesday after a moderate earthquake in the area, sending…

AFP, LONDON: Coalition warplanes bombed one of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s palaces which was being used as a training base by the Islamic…

AFP, NAIROBI: Burundi’s government has rejected the deployment of 228 UN police to the troubled African nation, saying a French-led UN resolution authorising the force was made without its consent. The UN Security Council on Friday agreed to deploy the force in its strongest move to date to try…

AFP, JOHANNESBURG: South Africans voted Wednesday in closely-contested municipal elections that could deal a heavy blow to the African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled since leading the struggle to end apartheid. Nelson Mandela’s former party risks losing control of key cities including…