Scottish parliament to seek new independence vote despite UK government rebuff
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Scotland’s devolved parliament will vote on Wednesday to give its government a mandate to seek a new independence referendum, despite Prime Minister Theresa May having said “now is not the time” for another vote as complex EU exi…
Scorched earth: If Islamic State can’t have it, no one can
CAIRO (Reuters) – As Islamic State loses ground in Iraq and Syria, the Sunni militant group which once held territory amounting to a third of those countries is turning to sabotage to ensure its enemies cannot benefit from its losses.
As Belgium remembers attacks, survivor reflects: ‘What if?’
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium marked the first anniversary of bomb attacks that killed 32 people with remembrance ceremonies, a new memorial and poignant reflections from those who lost partners but survived.
Eurogroup chairman Dijsselbloem refuses to quit over ‘xenophobic’ remarks
LISBON (Reuters) – Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem rejected calls for his resignation led by Portugal’s prime minister on Wednesday, but said he regretted comments suggesting southern European countries had squandered their money on “booze and w…
EU outsiders Norway and Iceland draw closer as Brexit looms
OSLO (Reuters) – European Union outsiders Norway and Iceland must boost their policy coordination in response to Britain’s planned departure from the block, as well as other changes in global politics, the two Nordic countries said on Wednesday.
Kremlin says French media report on Fillon’s Putin introduction is ‘fake news’
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A French media report alleging that presidential candidate Francois Fillon was paid to arrange introductions to Russian President Vladimir Putin is “fake news,” Russia’s Kremlin said on Wednesday.
Syrian rebels press major assault near Hama
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian rebels advanced to within a few kilometers of the government-held city of Hama on Wednesday in a major assault in the western region of Syria critically important to President Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor reported.
Erdogan warns Europeans ‘will not walk safely’ if attitude persists, as row carries on
ANKARA (Reuters) – President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Europeans would not be able to walk safely on the streets if they kept up their current attitude toward Turkey, his latest salvo in a row over campaigning by Turkish politicians in Euro…
Red Cross warns on mass hunger in Yemen, Somalia
GENEVA (Reuters) – There is a window of only three to four months to avert mass starvation in Yemen and Somalia, plagued by conflict and drought, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday in an appeal for funding.
Russia underplayed losses in recapture of Syria’s Palmyra
GELENDZHIK, Russia (Reuters) – Russia’s force in Syria has suffered losses since late January more than three times higher than the official toll, according to evidence gathered by Reuters, a tally that shows the fight in Syria is tougher and more cost…




