EU agrees extending Russia economic sanctions, formal decision pending: sources
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s Brussels envoys agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January the energy, financial and defense sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, but formal approval is still pending, diplomatic sources …
Kerry meets authors of dissenting cable on U.S. Syria policy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met on Tuesday with about 10 of the 51 State Department officials who last week wrote a cable disagreeing with U.S. policy toward Syria and arguing for “a more militarily assertive U.S. role.”
Suicide attacker kills six Jordanian troops at Syria border
AMMAN (Reuters) – Six Jordanian border guards were killed by a suicide bomber who drove a car at speed across the border from Syria and rammed it into a military post on Tuesday, security officials said.
Boko Haram fracturing over Islamic State ties, U.S. general warns
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Nigerian militants Boko Haram have fractured internally, with a big group splitting away from shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau over his failure to adhere to guidance from the Iraq- and Syria-based Islamic State, a senior U.S. gener…
U.S. in new talks with Venezuela amid worsening crisis
CARACAS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government sent veteran diplomat Tom Shannon to Venezuela on Tuesday to meet senior opposition and government figures amid a brutal economic crisis and political impasse in the South American OPEC nation.
Two killed as forest fire rages in Cyprus
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Two firefighters were killed tackling one of the largest forest fires to hit Cyprus in years, and several countries mobilized aid on Tuesday as the flames raged for a third day.
Iraqi forces retake two Falluja districts from Islamic State, push west
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s armed forces pressed on with their offensive to retake the city of Falluja from Islamic State on Tuesday, dislodging the militants from two eastern districts and pushing them back into a handful of northern and western neighb…
Brazil speaker refuses to quit, denies corruption charges
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s suspended House speaker, Eduardo Cunha, denied any criminal wrongdoing on Tuesday and said he will not resign, even though he has already been indicted for corruption and faces the risk of imminent arrest.
Japan military on alert for possible North Korean ballistic missile launch
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s military was on alert for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch, a government source said on Tuesday, with media reporting its navy and anti-missile Patriot batteries had been told to shoot down any projectile headi…
Merkel says Germany must spend more on defense
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany will have to increase its defense spending considerably from current levels to deal with external threats, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.
