EU tries to contain East-West schism as Brexit bites
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – As Britain hands the European Union its formal notice to quit this month, Brussels is resigned to losing part of the EU’s western flank but is increasingly stressed that upset in the east is pulling the survivors further apart.
Lebanon appoints new army chief-media
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Lebanese government appointed General Joseph Aoun as army commander on Wednesday, Lebanese media reported, replacing General Jean Kahwaji at the head of a force that has been guarantor of civil peace since the 1975-90 civil war.
Warplanes bomb east of Damascus after truce declared, residents, monitor say
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) – Warplanes bombed rebel-held towns east of Damascus on Wednesday, striking residential areas where Russia had declared a ceasefire less than 24 hours earlier and leaving dozens injured, according to residents, rebels and a monit…
Berlin says Turkey has stepped up spying in Germany
BERLIN (Reuters) – The German government said on Wednesday there had been a significant increase in Turkish spying in Germany, where tensions within the large Turkish community have escalated ahead of next month’s referendum on Turkey’s presidency.
Iraq to continue striking Islamic State targets in Syria, Abadi says
SULEIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraq will continue to hit Islamic State targets in Syria, as well as in neighboring countries if they give their approval, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday.
Iraqi forces fight IS in Mosul as bomb blasts hit Tikrit wedding
MOSUL/ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraqi forces battled Islamic State militants in their stronghold of Mosul on Wednesday and took control of the last major road leading west from the city, before bomb blasts ripped through a wedding party near Tikrit, kill…
Syria’s Manbij council urges aid for 130,000 displaced
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Some 130,000 people who have fled to the northern Syrian city of Manbij and nearby rural areas are in dire need of international aid, the head of a Manbij civil affairs council said on Wednesday.
As North Korea missile threat grows, Japan lawmakers argue for first strike options
TOKYO (Reuters) – Rattled by North Korean military advances, influential Japanese lawmakers are pushing harder for Japan to develop the ability to strike preemptively at the missile facilities of its nuclear-armed neighbor.
South Korea court says to rule on President Park’s impeachment on Friday
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s Constitutional Court will rule on President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment on Friday at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), a court spokesman said on Wednesday.
U.N. decries U.S. ‘vilification’ of migrants, fears mass expulsions
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies could lead to collective expulsions of migrants in a breach of international law, the United Nations human rights chief said on Wednesday.
