Turkey wants to build mosque in Cuba

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan disclosed an ambitious plan to build a big Ottoman-style mosque in Cuba. After talks in Havana with Cuban President Raúl Castro, Erdoğan stated it was to resemble the Ortaköy Mosque in Istanbul. The authorities in Cuba already have an understanding with Saudi Arabia for the construction of a mosque in Havana but Turkey may build an Ottoman mosque in another Cuban town, the Turkish President said.

USA says Bosnia provides fighters for Islamic State

US ambassador to Bosnia Maureen Cormack has cautioned that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a source of foreign fighters for the Islamic State. “To counter extremism, we need to develop alternate paths for young people – jobs, educational opportunities – that can turn them away from radicalism and violence” she said and added that the people responsible for terrorism must be prosecuted. Meanwhile a Muslim imam and a Wahhabi leader have been put on trial in Bosnia, charged of inciting terrorist acts and recruiting fighters for the Islamic State.

Croatians fight against separatists in Ukraine

Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić stated there were Croatian soldiers fighting in Ukraine on the side of the government forces against the separatists in the country’s Southeastern regions – volunteers who have joined Ukraine’s regular army. Pusić did not give specific numbers but media in Croatia are talking about dozens of Croatians joining the Azov battalion, a paramilitary militia based in Mariupol, alleged to be connected with the extreme right wing in Ukraine.

EU helps flood-stricken population in Albania

The first batch of EU aid for the flood-stricken population in Albania has arrived in Tirana. Slovakia is expected to provide additional relief aid, and USA – technical and economic aid worth USD 750,000.

Greece demands reparations from Germany

The Greek Ministry of Finance has collected all data connected with the war reparations it is demanding of Germany, a high-ranking ministry official has announced. The demands for reparations for the German occupation of Greece and for the payment of the so-called occupation loan should be included in the agenda of the negotiations with the European partners, the Greek side says. Athens has already made numerous demands that Germany pay reparations for the Nazi crimes during World War II but the matter has never officially been discussed.

Stolen cars from Bulgaria intercepted in Diyarbakır

Twenty-two luxury cars were confiscated by the Turkish police in Diyarbakır during a raid against illegal car imports from abroad. According to police data the raid was targeted against the duty-free importation of second hand cars, mostly from Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia. 45 people have been detained, 10 of whom foreign nationals.

Compiled by: Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Milena Daynova