Drone strike kills three suspected militants in Yemen: sources
SANAA (Reuters) – A drone strike killed at least three suspected al Qaeda militants in Yemen on Wednesday night, tribal sources said.
Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine town, residents flee
NEAR SLAVIANSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian government forces battled separatists with artillery and automatic weapons on Wednesday in a second day of fighting in and around Slaviansk, forcing many residents to flee.
Bangladesh hopes to solve debate over unsafe garment factories soon
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh government officials said on Wednesday they hope to solve a crisis over their decision to not shut down six garment factories deemed unsafe by experts hired by western clothing brands.
Assad wins Syria election with 88.7 percent of votes: speaker
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Bashar al-Assad won 88.7 percent of the vote in Syria’s presidential election, parliament speaker Mohammad al-Laham said on Wednesday, securing a third term in office despite a raging civil war which grew out of protests against his …
Inspectors press Syria on chemical arms ‘discrepancies’: envoys
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Inspectors overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal have asked President Bashar al-Assad’s government to clarify disparities in its original declaration on its cache of toxic gas, diplomats said on Wedne…
Syria says turnout in election was 73 percent
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria’s constitutional court said on Wednesday turnout for the presidential election, widely expected to deliver a sweeping victory for Bashar al-Assad, was 73.4 percent.
NATO extends Somali counter-piracy mission to 2016
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO has decided to extend its Indian Ocean counter-piracy mission by two years to the end of 2016, judging that piracy remains a threat despite a sharp fall in attacks, the alliance said on Wednesday.
Swiss say working with Egypt, Ukraine to recover stolen assets
GENEVA (Reuters) – Switzerland is working hard to prevent ill-gotten assets of corrupt leaders from reaching Swiss bank coffers and an international clampdown on tax evasion could help the campaign, a senior Swiss foreign ministry official said on Wedn…
Sarkozy allies urge him to return, lead divided opposition
PARIS (Reuters) – Allies of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy lined up on Wednesday to call for his return to head an opposition UMP party beset by crisis, setting the stage for a comeback that could propel him to a re-election bid in 2017.
NATO to keep around 12,000 troops in Afghanistan next year: U.S. official
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A NATO-led training mission in Afghanistan next year is likely to total about 12,000 soldiers, including about 8,000 Americans, while some 1,800 Americans will conduct counter-terrorism missions, a senior U.S. military official s…
