The lower chamber of Brazil's Congress passed a bill on Wednesday toughening access to social security pensions, the second measure approved in a week to cut benefits in a drive to reduce a growing fiscal deficit.
The Sahara-based al-Mourabitoun Islamist group has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, the Mauritanian news website Alakhbar said, citing a recording it had received from a spokesman for al-Mourabitoun.
The head of Burundi's army said on Thursday that an attempted coup had failed and forces loyal to President Pierre Nkurunziza were in control but heavy gunfire in the capital suggested the battle for power was not yet over.
Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are preparing an appeal to NATO command for a permanent presence of NATO troops on their territory to counter increased Russian air and naval activity, the Lithuanian army said on Thursday.
