Moscow cancels meeting with U.S. diplomat after sanctions
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Angered by expanded U.S. sanctions, Russia on Wednesday canceled a high-level meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon.
Back on the frontline, Italy’s Berlusconi hits out at 5-Star
ROME (Reuters) – Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi signaled he was back in frontline politics on Wednesday, launching a broadside against the anti-system 5-Star Movement and predicting a surge in support for his party.
Afghan Taliban issues video of U.S., Australian hostages
KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghan Taliban released a video on Wednesday showing an American and an Australian hostage asking their governments to help negotiate a prisoner exchange with their captors to secure their release.
Germany delays decision on Israeli drones, approves warships
BERLIN (Reuters) – The German parliament’s budget committee on Wednesday postponed a decision on a 1-billion-euro ($1.11 billion) funding package for the military, including a deal to lease Israeli-made armed drones, sources told Reuters.
After pointed criticism, Tillerson urges Gulf demands be sent to Qatar
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States hopes Arab countries involved in a diplomatic split with Qatar will soon present Doha a list of “reasonable and actionable” demands to move the crisis toward a resolution, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson s…
German parliament backs plans to withdraw troops from Turkey
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany’s parliament on Wednesday approved the planned withdrawal of troops from the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey after Ankara’s refusal to allow German lawmakers access to its soldiers there.
Ukraine’s Poroshenko says will sign defense deals with USA soon
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said after meetings in Washington that Kiev and the United States would soon sign a number of agreements boosting defense cooperation, news agency Interfax Ukraine reported on Wednesday.
Exclusive: Italy tax police search five banks in diamond sales probe – sources
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian tax police seized documents from the offices of five Italian lenders on Wednesday in an investigation over alleged fraud in relation to the distribution of diamonds to bank clients, sources said.
Turkey must respect Iraqi Kurds’ referendum move: Barzani adviser
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey should respect the decision of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence and support dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad, a chief adviser to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said on Wednesday.
U.N. chief appoints Russian diplomat to top anti-terror job
UNITED NATIONS/VIENNA (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appointed one of Moscow’s veteran diplomats to head a newly created U.N. Counterterrorism Office, giving a Russian a top job at the world body’s headquarte…
