Istanbul nightclub attacker says was directed by Islamic State: report
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – An Uzbek gunman who killed 39 people in Istanbul’s Reina nightclub on New Year’s Day told police he had changed his target at the last minute to avoid heavy security and acted on direct orders from Islamic State in Syria, a newspap…
Colombia peace talks with ELN rebels to begin Feb. 8: president
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s government will begin much-delayed formal peace talks with the country’s second-biggest rebel group the ELN on Feb. 8, after the guerrillas release a politician being held hostage, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wed…
Iraq special forces chief says mission accomplished in east Mosul
BARTELLA, Iraq (Reuters) – Elite Iraqi forces have ousted Islamic State insurgents from all districts of eastern Mosul they were tasked with recapturing, their commanding officer said on Wednesday, bringing almost all of the city’s eastern half back un…
Israel deploys ‘Star Wars’ missile killer system
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s upgraded ballistic missile shield became operational on Wednesday, in a “Star Wars”-like extension of its capabilities to outer space where incoming missiles can be safely destroyed.
Thief walks away after Cannes jewelry heist worth 15 million euros
PARIS (Reuters) – A robber brandishing a pistol and a grenade stole diamonds worth 15 million euros ($16 million) on Wednesday in the French Riviera town of Cannes and calmly escaped on foot, a regional prosecutor said.
Putin, Merkel and Hollande discuss Ukraine, Syria: Kremlin
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed peacemaking efforts in Ukraine and Syria during a conference call on Wednesday, a Kremlin statement said.
United States and Cuba complete deals as Trump era set to begin
HAVANA (Reuters) – The Obama administration and Cuba continue to sign cooperation agreements this week, scrambling to complete negotiations on a range of issues with just days to go until Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president, potentially bringing…
Security turns U.N. in Geneva into ghost town as China’s Xi visits
GENEVA (Reuters) – Security blanketed the United Nations’ European headquarters on Wednesday to avoid any risk or embarrassment to visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, while police swiftly ended a small pro-Tibetan protest on the square outside.
UK Supreme Court says it will give Brexit trigger case ruling on Tuesday
LONDON (Reuters) – The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court will deliver its ruling next Tuesday on whether Prime Minister Theresa May can begin leaving the European Union without parliament’s assent, potentially giving lawmakers a chance to have a vote on B…
Russia says teams up with Turkey for first time to bomb Syrian militants
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said its war planes had joined forces with Turkish jets for the first time on Wednesday to target Islamic State militants holding the town of al-Bab in northern Syria, evidence of increasingly close cooperation between Moscow …
