Turkey To Let Iraqi Kurds Reinforce Kobani As U.S. Drops Arms To Defenders -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Turkey said on Monday it would allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters to reinforce fellow Kurds in the Syrian town of Kobani, while the United States air-dropped arms for the first time to help the defenders resist an Islamic State assault.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington had asked Ankara to help "get the peshmerga or other groups" into Kobani so that they could help defend the town on the Turkish frontier, adding that he hoped the Kurds would "take this fight on".

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MIDDLE EAST

Kerry: U.S. told Turkey arms drop to Syrian Kurds 'momentary' response to crisis .

Islamic State insurgents advance into Iraqi town of Qara Tappa .

Turkey to let Iraqi Kurds reinforce Kobani as U.S. drops arms to defenders . Islamic State: Turkey to let Iraq Kurds join Kobane fight .

US launches new strikes against ISIS in Kobani, activists say .

Deadly car bombings hit Iraq's Karbala . Bombings hit Baghdad Shi'te mosque, military convoy in northern Iraq .

Iraq crisis: MPs complete anti-IS government .

Sunni Arabs feel sting of discrimination in northern Iraq .

UN sanctions 'to target high-profile Yemenis' .

Al Qaeda attacks kill at least 33 people in Yemen . Scores of rebels killed in Yemen fighting .

UN nuclear chief: Progress slow in Iran investigation . Iran acts to comply with interim nuclear deal with powers: IAEA .

Hamas leader's daughter received medical treatment in Israel: sources .

Saudi Arabia steps up beheadings; some see political message .

ASIA

China boosts efforts to help Afghan, regional stability .

In Japan, two female ministers quit, dealing a blow to Abe and ‘womenomics’ .

Kerry in Indonesia seeks Asian support against Islamic State . Kerry urges Asia to boost anti-Islamic State push .

Afghan officials: Attacks by insurgents on army, police checkpoints kill at least 4 troops .

At least 22 people are reported killed in attack at a market in western China .

China Communist Party plenum begins in Beijing .

After clashes, Hong Kong students, government stand their ground before talks .

Joko Widodo sworn in as Indonesian president .

Marine accused in Philippine killing tests US ties .

Amnesty International: South Korea abuses migrant workers .

Sri Lanka calls early presidential elections .

AFRICA

No plan for Egyptian military action against Islamic State in Iraq, Syria .

Ebola crisis: Nigeria declared free of virus .

EU seeks $1.27 billion in Ebola aid for W. Africa .

West Africa 'could lose an entire generation' .

At least 30 killed in northeast Nigeria clashes despite 'truce' .

Nigeria Boko Haram blamed for raids despite truce claim.

Libya violence: Western powers urge cessation .

Libya's parliament allies with renegade general, struggling to assert authority .

Second massacre in days leaves 20 dead in east DR Congo .

EUROPE

Swedish military claims three credible sightings of undersea activity in search for suspected Russian submarine . Mysterious ‘Russian sub’ off Sweden may be Dutch – Defense Ministry source .

Dutch deny link to mystery submarine off Sweden .

Finland says not planning to assist Sweden in search for alleged submarine .

Blast rocks chemical plant in Donetsk, claims of tactical missile .

Ukraine crisis: Amnesty deplores abuses by both sides .

Ukraine’s Euromaidan reforms reveal deep divisions .

Hope and obstacles as Russia and Ukraine seek gas deal .

US-Russian relations ‘close to bottom, to remain low a long time’ – Lavrov .

Dutch battle surge of desperate, violent Muslim refugees.

AMERICAS

Up to 34 MILLION blank 'green cards' and work permits to be ordered ahead of Obama illegal immigrant 'amnesty' .

U.S. hospitals gird for Ebola panic as flu season looms .

Dallas officials: 120 still on Ebola monitoring . Ebola fear ends for dozens on U.S. watch lists .

Polls: Opposition has slight lead in Brazil Presidential runoff . Brazilian poll shows Rousseff gaining momentum as election nears .

Venezuela's Maduro approval rating drops to 30 percent, poll says .

Chile ex-mayor arrested for Pinochet-era human rights crimes .

Federal police take control of 13 towns in Mexico .

Mexico finds many corpses, but not lost 43 .

Fed chief rips widening gap between rich, poor Americans .

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Denmark tries a soft-handed approach to returned Islamist fighters .

ISIS releases training guide on 'how to tweet safely, without giving out your location to NSA' .

Senior al Qaeda leader reported killed in US airstrike in eastern Afghanistan .

Benghazi attack suspect Khatallah pleads not guilty to 17 new charges .

France struggles to cope with terrorism on its home turf.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

CIA analyst: Next Great Depression 'about to strike' .

Plunging oil prices have unpredictable impact on politics, economics .

Is the oil price fall more than just a coincidence?

Lufthansa says strike results in 1,511 canceled flights .