NATO jets track ‘unusual’ Russian bomber sorties
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO aircraft tracked Russian strategic bombers over the Atlantic and Black Sea on Wednesday and sorties of fighters over the Baltic in what the Western alliance called an unusual burst of activity at a tense time in East-West rela…
Kurdish convoy heads to Syria to take on Islamic State
SURUC Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) – A convoy of peshmerga fighters from northern Iraq headed across southeastern Turkey on Wednesday towards the Syrian town of Kobani to try to help fellow Kurds break an Islamic State siege which has defied U.S.-led air st…
Myanmar government and political groups to meet on Friday
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar’s political and military leaders will hold an unprecedented meeting with heads of major political parties and ethnic groups this week to discuss national reconciliation ahead of elections in 2015, local media reported on Wedn…
EU, U.N. condemn Ukraine rebels’ election plans
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union and United Nations condemned plans to hold elections in rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine on Sunday, with the EU explicitly denouncing Moscow’s support for the separatists’ plans.
South Sudan rebels say they seize oil hub Bentiu; government denies it
ADDIS ABABA/JUBA (Reuters) – Rebels said on Wednesday they had seized the South Sudan oil hub of Bentiu as renewed fighting against government troops entered a third day, but the government said it was still in control of the town.
British jets intercept Latvian plane over southern England
LONDON (Reuters) – Two British Royal Air Force Typhoon jets were scrambled on Wednesday to intercept a Latvian cargo aircraft over southern England and escort it in to land at Stansted airport, but no security threat was found, officials said.
Graphic media campaign targets Montenegrin graft crusader
BELGRADE (Reuters) – A prominent anti-graft campaigner in Montenegro vowed on Wednesday she would not be silenced by a graphic campaign against her in pro-government media.
Ukraine’s Yatseniuk sees himself staying on as prime minister
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s Arseny Yatseniuk said on Wednesday he expected to stay on as prime minister at the head of a new pro-Europe, reformist government as his party hung on to a slight lead in last Sunday’s election with the vote count nearly comp…
Zambia’s Scott becomes Africa’s first white leader in 20 years
LUSAKA (Reuters) – Zambia’s Guy Scott became Africa’s first white head of state in 20 years on Wednesday after the president, “King Cobra” Michael Sata, died in a London hospital aged 77.
Thousands protest in Burkina for second day, U.S. joins outcry
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Thousands of protesters marched through Burkina Faso’s capital for a second day on Wednesday to denounce President Blaise Compaore’s plan to seek re-election, with Washington joining the outcry against his political maneuvering….
