Iraqi forces try to seal off Islamic State around Tikrit
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Thousands of Iraqi soldiers and Shi’ite militiamen sought to seal off Islamic State fighters in Tikrit and nearby towns on Tuesday, the second day of Iraq’s biggest offensive yet against a stronghold of the Sunni militants.
Greek government to tackle ‘humanitarian crisis’ in first parliamentary bill
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s government submitted a bill to offer free food and electricity to thousands of poverty-stricken Greeks as its first legislative act in parliament, in a symbolic move to address what it calls a “humanitarian crisis”.
Three dead as Kiev accuses Ukraine rebels of shelling
KIEV/DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Three Ukrainian servicemen were killed and nine wounded as pro-Russian rebels shelled government positions despite a ceasefire deal, the military said on Tuesday, announcing Kiev’s highest casualty toll in several days…
U.S. proposes making Radio Marti, broadcaster to Cuba, independent
WASHINGTON/MIAMI (Reuters) – The White House has proposed turning Radio Marti, a U.S. government-controlled broadcaster created in part to undermine communist rule in Cuba, into a separate entity as Washington seeks rapprochement with Havana.
Five dead in Qaeda suicide attack on Houthis in central Yemen
SANAA (Reuters) – Five people were killed in an al Qaeda suicide attack on a Houthi outpost in central Yemen on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said, highlighting the volatility of a country torn by militant and sectarian violence.
Rival Libyan forces carry out air strikes, militants storm oilfield
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Rival Libyan forces carried out tit-for-tat air strikes on oil terminals and an airport on Tuesday, escalating their battle for control of the oil-producing country days before United Nations peace talks are to resume in Mor…
Haqqani ban still under consideration: Pakistan’s U.S. envoy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A formal announcement on outlawing the Haqqani militant network, which has been responsible for numerous attacks on U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, it still under consideration, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States said on …
Israel must investigate civilian killings in Gaza war: U.N. envoy
GENEVA (Reuters) – A United Nations envoy called on Israel on Tuesday to investigate the killing of more than 1,500 Palestinian civilians, one third of them children, during the 2014 Gaza war, and to make the findings public.
Militants take over Libya’s Bahi, Mabrouk oilfields: security official
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Islamist militants took over Libya’s Bahi oil station and the Mabrouk oilfield on Tuesday after security forces guarding the installations were forced to retreat, according to Ali Hassi, a security official in the oil protection for…
Canadian shopping mall closed, police raid house after threat
TORONTO (Reuters) – A shopping mall in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia was closed on Tuesday and police raided a nearby house in response to what they described as a threat, just weeks after an alleged mass shooting plot in Halifax was foiled.
