Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric tells Rouhani ties must respect sovereignty
Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday that Iraqi sovereignty must be respected and weapons kept in state hands, a veiled reference to increasingly influential Iran-backed militias.
Pompeo says China ‘in a league of its own’ in human rights violations
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo highlighted abuses in Iran, South Sudan, Nicaragua and China included in an annual State Department human rights report on Wednesday, saying Beijing was “in a league of its own” when it comes to violations.
Britain heads into Brexit unknown as parliament votes on no-deal exit
British lawmakers were on Wednesday set to stave off the threat of a no-deal exit from the European Union on March 29 but the second defeat of Prime Minister Theresa May’s divorce treaty has left the country heading into the Brexit unknown.
UK lawmakers to vote on two proposed changes to government’s ‘no deal’ Brexit motion
British lawmakers will have the opportunity to vote on two proposed changes to Prime Minister Theresa May’s next steps on Brexit on Wednesday, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow said.
Iraq bans Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from its airspace
Iraq on Wednesday banned U.S. planemaker Boeing Co’s 737 MAX aircraft from entering or transiting its airspace, a statement from the civil aviation authority said.
Nine dead, including five children, in Brazil shooting; 17 others also shot
At least nine people were killed at a Brazilian elementary school where two young men were seen entering the building and firing weapons early on Wednesday, according to Sao Paulo police.
Venezuela seeks to restore power amid looting; China offers help
President Nicolas Maduro’s government scrambled on Wednesday to return power to western Venezuela following heavy looting in the country’s second largest city, while China offered to help the OPEC-member nation end its worst blackout on record.
Ethiopia crash black boxes still in Addis Ababa: airline
Two black box recorders recovered from the crash of Ethiopia Airlines flight 302 are still in the capital Addis Ababa as discussions continue about where in Europe to send them, the airline said on Wednesday.
Islamic State counter-attacks out of final Syria enclave fall short: U.S.-backed SDF
Islamic State launched two counter-attacks on U.S.-backed fighters besieging their final shred of territory in eastern Syria on Wednesday but were beaten back without any progress, the Syrian Democratic Forces said.
Some casualties in Nigerian building collapse: Lagos state governor
Some people were killed when a Nigerian building that housed a school collapsed on Wednesday, the governor of Lagos state said, as rescuers continued to search for survivors.
