Iraq moves up tanks, guns for looming Falluja assault
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The Iraqi army deployed tanks and artillery around Falluja on Tuesday, security officials said, as local leaders in the besieged city urged al Qaeda-linked militants to leave in order to avert an impending military assault.
Turkish graft scandal deepens with more arrests, police dismissals
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government purged hundreds of police officers overnight, media said, as part of a crackdown on a rival he accuses of trying to usurp state power by tarring him with a specious corruption inve…
Congo’s army battles militia near capital of mining province
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Congo’s army fought gun battles on Tuesday with a separatist militia just 30 km (19 miles) from Lubumbashi, capital of the copper-rich Katanga province, the provincial governor told Reuters.
Libya’s standoff with eastern oil protesters escalates
TRIPOLI/LONDON (Reuters) – Libya’s standoff with armed protesters blockading its eastern oil terminals escalated on Tuesday after the armed forces warned shippers against loading crude at the seized ports that have been out of government control for mo…
Dutch break with EU to open political dialogue with Cuba
HAVANA (Reuters) – The Dutch foreign minister signed an agreement on Tuesday with his Cuban counterpart to engage in political consultations, breaking ranks with the European Union which limits high-level visits and talks with the Communist-run Caribbe…
Poland to ask British PM to explain migrant comments
WARSAW/LONDON (Reuters) – Poland’s prime minister said on Tuesday he would ask his British counterpart David Cameron to explain remarks about Polish migrants benefiting unfairly from British welfare payments when the two men speak by telephone this wee…
Citizenship threat hangs over Haiti, Dominican talks
OUANAMINTHE, Haiti (Reuters) – Haitian and Dominican authorities met for migration and trade talks on Tuesday under the cloud of a controversial court ruling that threatens to strip Dominican nationality from thousands of residents of Haitian descent.
South Sudan rejects call to free rebels to help end fighting
ADDIS ABABA/JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan rejected rebel calls for an immediate release of detainees after the two sides met briefly for the first time on Tuesday seeking to end fighting that has left the world’s newest state on the brink of civil war.
Spain no country for judges, says graft case magistrate
MADRID (Reuters) – Eight months ago Spanish examining magistrate Elpidio Jose Silva was investigating a sensational corruption case that briefly landed politically connected former bank boss Miguel Blesa in jail.
Tunisia Islamists set to resign after deal on election commission
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s ruling Islamists are preparing to resign in the next few days to make way for a caretaker cabinet once government and opposition parties agree on the makeup of an electoral commission, mediators said on Tuesday.
