TURKEY-US RELATIONS

ISTANBUL- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is heading to Turkey, the latest in a parade of U.S. officials trying to push Turkey to step up its role in the international coalition's fight against Islamic State extremists. His visit comes after weeks of public bickering between the two NATO allies.

EUROPE-ECONOMY

FRANKFURT, Germany - European Central Bank head Mario Draghi says the eurozone's chief monetary authority is willing to "step up the pressure" and increase its efforts to stimulate the struggling economy. The comments fed market expectations for more central bank action, sending the euro lower and stocks higher. 

IRAN-NUCLEAR TALKS

VIENNA - With talks on Iran's nuclear program stalled four days before a deadline for agreement, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry embarked on a crucial round of diplomacy on Friday, meeting first with Iran's foreign minister and then his British and French counterparts. Expectations are growing that the Monday deadline for a full deal will be missed because of differences on how much Iran needs to reduce the size and scope of key nuclear programs. Both the Iranians and the six world powers negotiating with them must soon decide whether to go beyond Monday or adjourn to a later date. They may also opt to end negotiations, but that is unlikely. 

POLAND-LOCAL ELECTIONS

WARSAW, Poland - Poland's Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz says there will be no repeat of last Sunday's local elections despite complaints about the continuing delay in official returns due to a computer glitch. Some politicians and right-wing groups are calling for a rerun and question the credibility of the returns that are trickling in as counts by hand are being done in many places. 

NETHERLANDS-BIRD FLU

AMSTERDAM - Dutch authorities say a new case of bird flu has been confirmed at a chicken farm in the town of Kamperveen, the third infection detected in the country this week. Friday's case was at a farm in Kamperveen, roughly a hundred kilometers (60 miles) distant from the previous two infections. The Economic Affairs Ministry said the farm's 10,000 chickens will be slaughtered following the same protocols used in the previous two cases. 

EUROPE-EBOLA

BERLIN - A Cuban doctor who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone has arrived in Switzerland for treatment and was able to walk off the transport plane. Felix Baez Sarria arrived on a flight overnight and was transported in a specially outfitted ambulance with a police escort to Geneva University Hospital.