Lebanese army kills six, arrests 16 militants in border town
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s army killed six gunmen and arrested 16 suspected militants, including a commander from the Islamic State group, in a raid in the town of Arsal near the border with Syria on Wednesday, it said.
Irish PM calls election as economy takes center stage
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny set parliamentary elections for Feb. 26 on Wednesday, kicking off campaigning for what promises to be a tight contest dominated by a fractious debate over the country’s strong economic recovery.
Hundreds flee conflict-hit area in southeast Turkey as curfew lifted
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Hundreds of people fled a conflict-hit area of southeast Turkey’s largest city Diyarbakir on Wednesday, taking advantage of the lifting of a curfew to escape any further clashes between security forces and Kurdish militan…
U.S. says making progress in aircraft carrier collaboration with India
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India and the United States are making progress in talks on the joint development of an aircraft carrier for India, the top U.S. navy admiral said on Wednesday, potentially the biggest military collaboration between them.
Germany’s Steinmeier tells Iran’s Rouhani: please visit Germany
TEHRAN (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday that he had told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani he was welcome to visit Germany the next time he comes to Europe.
China ‘notes’ Pope’s new year greeting, calls for flexibility
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Wednesday it had “noted” an interview in which Pope Francis sent Lunar New Year greetings to President Xi Jinping, and called on the Vatican to be flexible in creating conditions for better relations.
Egyptian forces kill two militants in clashes in upscale Cairo area
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian security forces killed two suspected Islamist militants during clashes in the upscale Cairo district of Maadi on Wednesday, security sources said.
Lavrov: Russia won’t stop Syria strikes until ‘terrorists’ defeated
MUSCAT (Reuters) – Russia will not stop its air strikes on Syria until armed groups, such as al Qaeda’s wing there, are defeated, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
Declaring de-radicalisation success, China reduces 11 sentences
BEIJING (Reuters) – Authorities in China’s unruly far-western region of Xinjiang have reduced the sentences of 11 people jailed for threatening state security after declaring success of a re-radicalisation programme, state news agency Xinhua reported.
U.S. says open to patrols with Philippines in waters disputed with China
MANILA (Reuters) – The United States is open to the possibility of joint naval patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday, stressing it would continue to exercise “freedom of navigation” in the disputed water…
