Forces loyal to Libya’s official government claim they shot down rival war plane
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government said that on Wednesday they had shot down a war plane belonging to a rival administration controlling Tripoli.
EU seeks UN approval to seize migrant boats, Russia against destruction
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Europe is seeking United Nations Security Council approval to seize boats used to traffic migrants across the Mediterranean from Libya, though diplomats said Russia has signaled it would not allow destruction of the vessels.
Turkey holds prosecutors over spy agency’s Syria-bound truck
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey on Wednesday arrested four prosecutors and a gendarme officer for trying to carry out a search of Syria-bound trucks belonging to the state intelligence agency that they suspected of illegally carrying arms for rebels fighting…
Italy’s Renzi suffers first high-profile defection from party
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi suffered a high-profile defection from his ruling Democratic Party (PD) on Wednesday in a first concrete sign that growing internal dissent could lead to a breakaway group leaving the party.
India and Iran sign port deal despite U.S. warning about haste
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India reached a deal on Wednesday to develop a strategic port in southeast Iran despite U.S. pressure not to rush into any such trade agreements before world powers clinch a final nuclear accord with Tehran.
First foreign tanker docks at eastern Libyan port since air strike
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya has persuaded a foreign shipper to send a tanker to the eastern port of Derna for the first time since a warplane belonging to the official government bombed a Greek-operated tanker there in January, its state oil firm (NOC) s…
Australia to send small refugee group to Cambodia ‘very shortly’: minister
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Australia wants to transfer a small group of refugees from one of its offshore detention centers to Cambodia shortly and encourage other asylum seekers to take the same route themselves, its immigration minister said on Wednesday.
Pentagon sees ‘tough’ Iraqi battle to secure Baiji oil refinery
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon on Wednesday said Iraq’s fight to secure the country’s largest oil refinery from Islamic State militants was headed in the wrong direction and declined to predict the outcome of ongoing battle.
Ukraine leader warns of worsening conflict, peace envoys more hopeful
MINSK/KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko warned on Wednesday of a growing threat of large-scale military action in the east of the country, but peace envoys reported some progress toward full implementation of a fragile ceasefire agr…
Iraq’s unity ‘voluntary and not compulsory’: Kurdish leader
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The unity of Iraq “is voluntary and not compulsory,” the head of the country’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region said on Wednesday, while stressing the Kurds had no immediate plans to break away from the central government in Bagh…
