Bulgaria’s caretaker government eyes access to euro ‘waiting room’
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria’s interim Prime Minister Ognyan Gerdzhikov said on Wednesday his government wanted to apply formally to join the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM-2), commonly known as the euro “waiting room”, before it hands over power.
Syrian government forces enter Palmyra, drive back Islamic State: monitors
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Russian-backed Syrian government forces and their allies fought their way into Palmyra on Wednesday, driving back Islamic State militants who have held the historic city since December, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor…
U.S.-allied militia agrees to hand villages to Syrian govt
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A U.S.-allied militia in northern Syria said on Thursday it would hand over villages on a front line where it has been fighting Turkish-backed rebels to Syrian government control, under an agreement with Russia.
New Syrian peace talks planned for March 14 in Kazakhstan : agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syrian peace talks involving the armed opposition and Russia, Iran and Turkey are scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan on March 14, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday, citing a source close to the talks.
Brexit battle lines drawn as UK readies divorce papers
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Brexit’s phony war is about to become real. It may get bloody.
Iran, Turkey presidents meet to defuse tensions
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Wednesday to improve ties, including in the fight against terrorism, Iran’s state news agency IRNA said, following some angry exchanges between the regio…
Macron builds party machine and momentum before French election
PARIS (Reuters) – Emmanuel Macron’s spartan presidential campaign headquarters in western Paris is abuzz with rows of young recruits busy at their laptops.
Abuse survivor quits pope’s commission citing ‘shameful’ resistance
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A leading member of a group advising Pope Francis on how to root out sex abuse in the Catholic Church quit in frustration on Wednesday, citing “shameful” resistance within the Vatican.
Syria air force bombed convoy, U.N. says in Aleppo probe
GENEVA(Reuters) – Syrian government aircraft deliberately bombed and strafed a humanitarian convoy, killing 14 aid workers and halting relief operations, U.N. investigators said on Wednesday in a report identifying war crimes committed by both sides in…
Purge of academics leaves future of Turkish universities in doubt
ANKARA (Reuters) – Standing at a blackboard in an Ankara park, Sevilay Celenk delivers her lecture, titled: “Resisting with Stories”. Several hundred students huddle in heavy coats against winter cold to listen as she describes the fears and struggles …
