Mali army says kills five in clash with militants
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malian troops killed five gunmen during a clash with an armed group in the central Mopti region, the army and defense ministry said on Wednesday.
Greek government supporters rally in Athens against austerity
ATHENS (Reuters) – A few thousand demonstrators rallied in front of the parliament in Athens on Wednesday to protest against austerity and back the leftist government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in its standoff with Greece’s international creditor…
Chad arrests five and bans burqa after suicide bombings
N’DJAMENA (Reuters) – Chad said on Wednesday it had arrested at least five suspects and had banned religious burqas after suicide bombings blamed on the Islamist Boko Haram killed 34 people.
UK invites Egypt’s Sisi, state media say, day after Mursi ruling
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been invited to visit Britain by the British prime minister, Egypt’s state news agency said on Wednesday, a day after a Cairo court sentenced a former president to death, drawing Western cri…
EU to keep withholding aid from Gambia after expulsion – diplomats
DAKAR (Reuters) – The expulsion of an EU diplomat from Gambia this month has derailed efforts to unblock aid to one of the world’s poorest countries, the source of thousands of illegal migrants headed to Europe, diplomats say.
Merkel’s office suggests special investigator see U.S. spy list
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office has proposed that a special investigator be appointed to inspect a list of targets that German intelligence tracked on behalf of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).
Russia, Germany call for swift end to fighting in east Ukraine: Moscow
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – The foreign ministers of Russia and Germany spoke on Wednesday and agreed on the importance of ending fighting in eastern Ukraine immediately, Russia’s foreign ministry said.
Political infighting in Catalonia clouds independence drive
MADRID (Reuters) – The push by Catalonia’s leaders to break away from Spain took a knock on Wednesday as infighting over the secession issue escalated and one of the parties running the region said its ministers were stepping down.
U.S.-Spain sign deal giving Marines permanent use of air base
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and Spain signed a defense agreement on Wednesday giving U.S. Marines permanent use of Moron air base, near Seville, from which they can be quickly deployed to Africa.
As Iran deal takes shape, Israel plays up regional common ground
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – With a deal on Iran’s nuclear program drawing near, Israel is beginning to look at what comes afterwards and how best to position itself for the longer term.
