Russia upset Poland removing memorials
MOSCOW – Russia has protested plans to demolish a Soviet war memorial in Poland and accused the Warsaw government of escalating its “war on monuments.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry said at least 10 war memorials have been desecrated or demolished in Poland during the past year.
Friday’s protest concerns a memorial in the town of Pieniezno dedicated to Soviet Gen. Ivan Chernyakhovsky, who was fatally wounded at the site in February 1945.
Soviet war memorials have fallen into disrepair and been regularly vandalized in Poland, where the Soviet role in World War II is viewed with ambiguity or outright hostility. In Russia, the official narrative is that the Red Army liberated Poland from Nazi occupation.
Iraqi troops stop Islamic State attack
BAGHDAD – Iraqi troops and Shiite militiamen repelled an attack by the Islamic State group in western Anbar province on Friday but 10 Iraqi soldiers died in the fighting, along with at least 12 militants, officials said.
The militants attacked the government-held town of Khalidiyah by unleashing mortar shells and five suicide car bombers, according to Anbar councilman Athal al-Fahdawi.
After an hours-long battle, the Sunni militants pulled back, leaving behind 12 dead fighters. Some were hiding in houses in nearby Abu Flais village, al-Fahdawi added.
Iranian blames U.S. for negotiation delays
VIENNA – The Iran nuclear talks shifted Friday to a blame game, as Iran’s foreign minister accused the United States of shifting its demands and dismissed a warning that the U.S. was ready to quit the negotiations.
Hours after his comments, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met again with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for another attempt at resolving the differences standing in the way a landmark deal that offers Iran sanctions relief in exchange for long-term, verifiable curbs on nuclear programs that Tehran could use to make weapons.
The sense of drift grew, along with expectations that the talks could continue through the weekend. A senior U.S. official said the preliminary April deal that set up the present negotiations had been extended until Monday. That effectively set a fourth target date for a final accord that initially was supposed to be sealed by June 30.
Associated Press
