Turkey and Russia discuss secure zone in Syria’s Idlib: Turkish Defence Minister
Turkey and Russia are discussing the establishment of a secure zone within Syria’s northwestern Idlib region where Syrians displaced by fighting can shelter during the winter, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday.
Lebanese banking association condemns delay in forming new government: statement
Lebanon’s banking association condemned on Wednesday what it called a “great and irresponsible tardiness” in forming a new government, following a night of vandalism on Tuesday against banks.
Croatia relaunches fighter jet tender with requests to seven states
Croatia said it will send a request for bids on Wednesday to seven states seeking to buy a squadron of new or used fighter jets in an effort to modernize its air force.
Hanging around: BASE jumper saved from Thai cliff after parachute snags
A BASE jumper was left hanging half way up a Thai cliff for several hours after his parachute got caught on jagged rocks hundreds of feet above the ground.
U.S. warns citizens in China against pneumonia outbreak
The U.S. State Department warned Americans in China about an outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan believed to be caused by a new strain of coronavirus, and which has killed one person.
Ethiopia sets tentative August date for elections
Ethiopia proposes to hold its national vote on Aug. 16, the electoral board said on Wednesday, the first poll under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who has eased political restrictions and taken steps to open the economy since taking office in 2018.
Fears for planet dominate as leaders pack for ‘green’ Davos
Risks posed by climate change and environmental destruction top the concerns of world decision-makers as they prepare to head to this year’s meeting of the global elite in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, an annual survey found.
Iran rejects idea of a new ‘Trump deal’ in nuclear row
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Wednesday a proposal for a new “Trump deal” aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a “strange” offer and criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for always breaking promises.
Piracy spike in Singapore Strait prompts calls for tighter security
Coastal nations around the Singapore Strait must step up surveillance and patrols of the strategic waterway after a sharp rise in piracy incidents last year, maritime watchdog ReCAAP said on Wednesday.
Iran’s Zarif says nuclear pact not dead, wary of ‘Trump deal’
Iran’s foreign minister said on Wednesday an existing nuclear deal the country struck with world powers was not dead and that he was unsure if any new pact agreed by U.S. President Donald Trump would last.
