Facebook may be forced to shut in Russia

MOSCOW • Facebook will be shut down in Russia next year if it fails to comply with requirements to store user data locally, according to the head of Russia's state communications watchdog.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law in 2014 that requires global Internet firms to store personal data of Russian clients on local servers, which has been complied with by some companies, while others demanded extra time to evaluate the economic feasibility of doing so.

BLOOMBERG

Trump fails in latest bid to end Obamacare

WASHINGTON • The latest bid backed by US President Donald Trump to dismantle his predecessor's healthcare law appeared to be unravelling on Monday when a crucial third Republican formally came out against the plan.

Senator Susan Collins, after weeks of delay over the latest measure, joined Republican colleagues John McCain and Rand Paul as firm "no" votes on the legislation.Republican leaders had hoped to vote it through before a Sept 30 deadline that would allow it to pass with a simple majority.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Erdogan warns of 'ethnic war' risk

ANKARA • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday warned Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani against pushing for independence after a non-binding referendum indicated strong support for separation from Iraq, saying such a move risked sparking an "ethnic war" in the region.

Mr Erdogan described the vote as a "treason to our country" as it had come at a time of good relations between Ankara and the Kurdish Regional Government.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Dutch tourists robbed by men posing as police

JOHANNESBURG • A group of 36 elderly Dutch tourists were robbed by men posing as police just hours after they landed at Johannesburg airport for a three-week holiday, South African authorities said yesterday.

Their bus was pulled off the road by a fake police car, and at least one robber was wearing a police uniform.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE