Aid reaches residents of besieged Syrian towns: U.N.
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered five besieged areas of Syria scheduled for deliveries on Wednesday in a U.N.-backed deal to deliver help to thousands of trapped residents, the United Nations said.
Pentagon calls for parties to halt militarization of South China Sea
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Defense Department on Wednesday said commercial imagery indicated that China had deployed a surface-to-air missile system on a disputed outpost in the South China Sea, and said the action was increasing tensions in the r…
Dissidents fearful as Thailand, once a haven, favors China
BANGKOK (Reuters) – One night last month, Liu Xuehong stood weeping outside the gates of the United Nations headquarters in Bangkok, begging the guards to let her in.
Murders in Honduras drop 12 percent in 2015 as drug bosses extradited: group
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – Homicides in Honduras fell 12 percent in 2015 thanks in part to the capture and extradition to the United States of drug cartel bosses, a United Nations-backed organization said on Wednesday.
U.N. Yemen envoy says divisions over truce preventing peace talks
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations special envoy for Yemen said on Wednesday he was unable to call another round of peace talks because the warring parties are deeply divided over whether there should be a ceasefire to coincide with a new ro…
Maldives opposition leader jailed for 12 years for role in protests
MALE (Reuters) – A Maldives court has sentenced an Islamist opposition leader to 12 years in jail, convicting him on terrorism charges related to a speech that protested the imprisonment of the islands’ first democratically elected president, Mohamed N…
Greek transport minister offers to resign after comments about PM
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s deputy transport minister offered to resign on Wednesday after implying in an interview with a radio station that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had made false promises to farmers who are fiercely resisting pension reforms.
Kurds’ advance in Syria divides U.S. and Turkey as Russia bombs
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – The rapid advance of U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, taking advantage of Russian air strikes to seize territory near the Turkish border, has infuriated Ankara and threatened to drive a wedge between NATO allies.
Former Italy PM Monti chides incumbent Renzi for criticizing EU
ROME (Reuters) – Former Italian prime minister Mario Monti on Wednesday warned current premier Matteo Renzi that his repeated criticism of Brussels risked alienating Italy from the bloc.
Helicopter downed in Iraq; Islamic State claims responsibility
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – An Iraqi army helicopter crashed on Wednesday due to “hostile fire” west of Baghdad where security forces were fighting Islamic State militants, who claimed responsibility for downing it.
