Militants surround Iraqi base in west Iraq; incident exposes army weakness
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Around 200 Iraqi soldiers were trapped in an army camp in western Iraq on Wednesday, besieged by Islamic State militants who routed hapless army forces in a raid on a base close to Baghdad at the weekend.
Iranian commander confirms Quds Force chief was in Iraq: TV
DUBAI (Reuters) – An Iranian commander has confirmed the presence in Iraq of the influential chief of Iran’s Quds Force, an overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, saying Qassem Soleimani was fighting the Islamic State militant group, official media …
Obama urges Iran not to let opportunity pass for nuclear deal
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama urged Iran on Wednesday “do not let this opportunity pass” for a nuclear deal by which Tehran would rein in its atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
Arab Bank verdict risks erosion of anti-terror controls: industry
ST. LOUIS (Reuters) – A U.S. court verdict this week finding that Arab Bank Plc provided material support to Hamas could cause banks to cut ties to foreign banks and customers and make it even harder to monitor the financing of militant networks, banki…
With Suu Kyi blocked, her Myanmar party eyes ex-general for president
YANGON (Reuters) – Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) will go into next year’s parliamentary election in Myanmar with no candidate for president, NLD officials said, and one said it might even support a former general from the pro-m…
Yemen president warns of civil war as factions collide
SANAA (Reuters) – President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has warned Yemenis their country is heading towards civil war after the takeover of the capital by Shi’ite Muslim rebels, a move that has allowed the insurgents to dictate terms to a weakened, fracture…
Developing countries should be better represented in global institutions: Brazil’s Rousseff
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff told the United Nations on Wednesday that developing countries should be better represented in international financial institutions that otherwise are in danger of losing legitimacy.
Sweden’s famed private welfare provision faces clamp-down after election
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – One of Sweden’s biggest reforms of recent decades is under threat as a probable new center-left government promises to “do away with the gold rush” for companies providing taxpayer-funded public services such as schooling, healthc…
ICC opens investigation into Central African Republic violence
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – International Criminal Court prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations of murder, rape and recruiting of child soldiers in the Central African Republic over the past two years.
Nigeria ex-VP declares opposition presidential bid as contest heats up
ABUJA (Reuters) – Former Nigerian vice president Atiku Abubakar declared a bid to run for president as the main opposition coalition’s candidate on Wednesday, ramping up a contest for the only ticket that stands a chance of unseating President Goodluck…
