Syrian militias get more U.S. support for IS fight, plan new phase
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State has boosted support for its Syrian allies, supplying armored vehicles for the first time as they prepare for a new phase in their campaign to capture Raqqa, a spokesman for the militia sa…
Kiev and Kremlin trade blame over surge in east Ukraine fighting
KIEV/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Ukraine and Russia blamed each other on Tuesday for a surge in fighting in eastern Ukraine in recent days that has led to the highest casualty toll in weeks and cut off power and water to thousands of civilians on the front line…
Israel ‘sorry for any hurt’ with Mexico over wall tweet
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s president told his Mexican counterpart on Tuesday that he was “sorry for the hurt” over a tweet in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to praise U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to build a wall on the Mexi…
Chinese billionaire whereabouts a mystery but denies abduction: media
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A missing China-born billionaire was quoted by state media on Tuesday as saying he had not been abducted from Hong Kong by mainland Chinese agents as some news outlets had reported but was receiving medical treatment.
French police search Fillon office as fraud affair rocks campaign
PARIS (Reuters) – French police searched presidential candidate Francois Fillon’s office in parliament on Tuesday as an inquiry into alleged fake work by his wife threatened his campaign and party leaders began to consider a ‘Plan B’ without him.
EU chair labels Trump a ‘threat’ as Europeans debate U.S. ties
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Donald Trump has joined Russia, China and radical Islam as a threat to the European Union, EU leaders were told on Tuesday by the man chairing a summit where they will debate relations with the United States.
British victims of modern slavery recount abuse in TV documentary
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Victims of modern slavery in Britain have spoken about being forced to work 19 hour days for little or no pay, beaten up and having their IDs taken from them, in a program by the UK’s Channel 4 television.
Ex-owner of Hitler’s birthplace challenges state’s expropriation
VIENNA (Reuters) – The former owner of Adolf Hitler’s birthplace has launched a legal challenge against its expropriation by the government which wants to ensure the house can never become a shrine for neo-Nazis, a court spokesman said on Tuesday.
Iraq will not retaliate against Trump’s visa ban: PM
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq will not retaliate to U.S. President Donald Trump’s travel ban against Iraqi nationals because it does not want to lose Washington’s cooperation in the war on Islamic State, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday.
EU states may deny asylum to any members of terrorist groups, court rules
LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) – European Union states may deny asylum to people who have been involved in a terrorist organization even if they have not actually committed or plotted violent acts, the EU’s top court ruled on Tuesday.
