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…
Assad says army to reinforce besieged troops in northwest Syria
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday that troops would head to an insurgent-held town to help besieged soldiers holed up on its outskirts and said army setbacks were part of normal warfare.
U.S., allies conduct 11 air strikes in Iraq: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led military coalition launched 11 air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State militants since early Tuesday, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement.
World neglects displaced as 30,000 a day forced to flee: report
GENEVA (Reuters) – The number of people displaced within their own countries was the worst in a generation last year, but there is little sign of governments taking action to deal with the problem, the Norwegian Refugee Council said on Wednesday.
Lithuania stages ‘little green man’ war games, with eye on Moscow
VILNIUS (Reuters) – Lithuania launched a military exercise on Wednesday to simulate an attack on its new gas terminal, a move its strongly anti-Moscow president said was intended to show the Kremlin that the tiny country would defend itself.
Russian report blames Kiev for downing of MH17 airliner: newspaper
MOSCOW (Reuters) – An independent Russian newspaper on Wednesday published what it said was a report by Russian military engineers suggesting a Malaysian airliner shot down in Ukraine was hit by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile fired by Ukrainian …
Sudan says anti-air defenses engaged target, deny attack
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan’s anti-aircraft defenses shot at an unidentified object that crossed the sky near Khartoum late on Tuesday, the army said, denying that explosions heard in the capital were related to an attack or coup attempt.
Romania’s Ponta eyes new pact with ally ahead of election
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s ruling Social Democrat party (PSD) will seal a new partnership with a junior ally on Thursday, looking to secure its grip on power before a national election in 2016, party sources told Reuters.
Germany’s Merkel to discuss Ukraine with Putin in Moscow
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the crisis in Ukraine at talks in Moscow on Sunday, a Kremlin aide said on Wednesday.
