Afghan forces battle to push back Taliban from southern city
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghan government forces, bolstered by hundreds of fresh troops and elite commandos, battled on Wednesday to push the Taliban back from around the capital of the southern province of Helmand after fierce fighting a …
Syrian Kurds declare new province in northern Syria
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Kurdish-led authorities in northern Syria have declared a new province including a town on the border with Turkey captured from Islamic State in June, a Kurdish official said on Wednesday, formalizing Kurdish control over the border …
Ukraine ceasefire helps volunteers bring dead soldiers home
ZELENE POLE, Ukraine (Reuters) – A ceasefire in eastern Ukraine means more work for the volunteer group Black Tulip, which can now collect remains of Ukrainian soldiers killed in action without the risk of being caught in crossfire between rebels and g…
Germany grants Chinese artist Ai Weiwei a three-year visa
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chinese dissident artist and free-speech advocate Ai Weiwei has received a visa to stay in Germany for three years and will take up a teaching post at a Berlin university, his spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Three jailed as Thai police launch sweeping royal defamation probe
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A Thai military court jailed three people on Wednesday, including an aide to the crown prince, as part of a major probe into a group of people who allegedly falsely claimed links to the monarchy.
Iraq’s ruling alliance, militias urge PM to seek Russian strikes
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s ruling alliance and powerful Shi’ite militias have urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to request Russian air strikes on Islamic State militants, who control large parts of the country, members of the coalition and militias …
Russia, Belarus to create joint defense mechanism within two years: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia and Belarus plan to create a joint military defense mechanism within two years, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Wednesday.
Iran’s Rouhani to visit Italy, Vatican next month: source
ROME (Reuters) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will visit Italy next month, his first trip to a European Union capital, and also meet Pope Francis, a diplomatic source said on Wednesday.
Large majority of CDU members happy with Merkel as leader
BERLIN (Reuters) – An overwhelming majority of conservative CDU members are happy with Angela Merkel as their party leader and want her to stand as chancellor again in the 2017 federal elections, a poll showed on Wednesday.
Migrants come ashore on British RAF base in Cyprus
(Reuters) – Four boatloads of migrants came ashore at a British military base on Cyprus on Wednesday, authorities said, the first time since the migrant crisis began that migrants have landed directly on what is considered British sovereign soil.
