Mali premier urges swift deal in Algiers peace talks
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Mali’s Prime Minister Modibo Keita urged a swift agreement in negotiations with rebels restarting this week in Algiers, saying progress was “looking very good” toward a definitive peace deal in the north.
France to close embassy in Yemen over security concerns
PARIS (Reuters) – France will close its embassy in Yemen from Feb. 13 due to security concerns and has asked its citizens to leave the country as soon as possible, the embassy said on Wednesday.
Time for Greece to end debt standoff, but no Plan B yet: Austria
VIENNA (Reuters) – There is still time for Greece to end a debt standoff with its European partners, though no Plan B is in the offing, Austria’s finance minister said, adding that Athens must honor the terms of its bailout package.
Scots nationalists say want end to austerity as price for UK power support
LONDON (Reuters) – The Scottish National Party would require a future British government to end austerity and allow public spending to rise in return for its support following a general election on May 7, the party leader said on Wednesday.
Boko Haram militants attacks Chad troops in Nigerian town
N’DJAMENA (Reuters) – Militants from Islamist group Boko Haram attacked Chadian army positions in Gambaru, a town in northeastern Nigeria, on Wednesday, and were beaten back, Chadian military sources said.
Rebel attacks kill 19 Ukrainian soldiers near rail junction in east: Kiev military
KIEV (Reuters) – Nineteen Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 78 wounded in rebel attacks near the key railway town of Debaltseve, which government troops are defending, a military spokesman said on Wednesday.
Ukraine president Poroshenko to brief EU summit in Brussels
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will brief EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, alongside the German and French leaders, on the results of Wednesday’s Ukraine peace talks in Minsk, an EU official said.
Taiwan orders all airlines to check safety after bad test results
TAIPEI (Reuters) – The Taiwan government ordered all airlines to review safety protocols on Wednesday after nearly half of the pilots trained to fly TransAsia’s ATR twin-engined aircraft were suspended following last week’s fatal crash in the capital.
China’s Xi to make first state visit to U.S. as both flag problems
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping will make his first state visit to the United States in September, China said on Wednesday, after both countries’ leaders laid out possible areas of friction in a telephone call.
Gunmen in Central Africa Republic free kidnapped government minister
BANGUI (Reuters) – Gunmen in Central African Republic have freed the minister for youth and sport who was kidnapped in January, the minister’s spokesman said on Wednesday.
