News in Brief

Next Iran nuke talks on Jan 18: EU
Reuters, Brussels

Iran and six world powers will hold talks on Tehran's disputed nuclear program in Geneva on Jan. 18, the European Union said yesterday. The six powers - the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany - and Iran "will continue negotiations in Geneva on 18 January with a view to making further progress towards a long-term comprehensive solution on the nuclear issue," an EU statement said.

Suicide blast hits Turkey tourist hub
Afp, Istanbul

An outlawed Turkish Marxist group yesterday claimed responsibility for a strike by a female suicide bomber on the heart of Istanbul's tourist district, raising fears of a wave of radical attacks one week after it hit police guarding a palace in the city. The female bomber, a young woman in her 20s, killed herself and a policeman early Tuesday evening after walking into the police station in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district.

'World's shortest int'l flight'
Afp, Vienna

Passengers travelling on a new flight offered by Austrian budget airline Fly Niki from April will hardly have time to sip a coffee between take-off and landing. The flight between Vienna and Bratislava, which lie just about 50 kilometres apart, will last about 20 minutes, the airline said, claiming that this would be the world's shortest flight between two countries.

Kurds kill 24 jihadists in Kobane
Afp, Beirut

At least 24 Islamic State jihadists were killed in clashes with Kurdish fighters Tuesday in the Syrian town of Kobane, where a battle has raged for almost four months, a monitoring group said. Seven YPG fighters were also killed as well as two civilians who died in ISIS raids, said the Britain-based group.