Kosovo court suspends vote on parliament speaker, crisis deepens
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo’s constitutional court suspended the appointment of the speaker of parliament on Wednesday, deepening a political crisis over who gets to rule the impoverished Balkan country for the next four years.
Plane with first coffins of Malaysian airliner victims leaves Ukraine
KHARKIV Ukraine (Reuters) – A Dutch air force transport plane carrying the first 16 coffins with the remains of victims of the downed Malaysian airliner took off on Wednesday from an airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv for the Netherlands….
Fuel tanks hit in clashes near Libyan airport
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Fuel storage tanks that supply Tripoli were hit on Wednesday in clashes between rival Libyan militias, igniting a huge blaze near the international airport.
Germany promises change as arms sales draw scrutiny
BERLIN (Reuters) – For lawmaker Jan van Aken, little symbolizes more potently all that he finds indefensible about Germany’s arms exports than the German and French-made anti-tank missile that he was shown in northern Syria.
Syria says hopes new peace mediator will be fair
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria urged a newly appointed international mediator to be “objective and honest” as he seeks an end to the country’s civil war, Syrian state television reported on Wednesday.
Indonesian president-elect Jokowi calls for unity after bitter election
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was declared the winner of Indonesia’s presidential election on Tuesday, bringing the promise of major reforms to the world’s third largest democracy.
Philippine army warned against “meddling” as coup rumors swirl
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine soldiers should keep clear of politics, the military’s new chief said on Wednesday, as rumors of a possible coup swirled in the capital after the Supreme Court declared President Benigno Aquino’s economic stimulus fund ill…
Iran nuclear talks to resume in early September: state TV
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Wednesday nuclear talks with six world powers would resume in early September, according to state television, after both sides agreed to continue talking for four more months to try to reach a final agreement on Tehran’s …
Arab rifts may complicate search for Gaza truce
(This July 21 story corrects the spelling of the name of analyst Ghanem Nuseibeh)
Young Islamic State robs al Qaeda of militant prestige
DUBAI (Reuters) – In hiding, targeted by drone strikes and unable to land a blow in the West, al Qaeda’s ageing leaders are losing a power struggle with ultra-radical young militants in Iraq and Syria who see themselves as the true successors to Osama …