Turkey sticking with Russian missile defense purchase, officials say
Turkey has not changed its decision to buy S-400 missile defense systems from Russia but welcomes a U.S. State Department approval of the possible purchase of a rival Patriot system from the United States, two Turkish officials said on Wednesday.
Tunisian teachers march for better wages and conditions
Thousands of high school teachers took to the streets of Tunis on Wednesday to demand better pay and conditions, at a time when the government is under pressure from international donors to cut spending.
Italy and markets cheer budget deal with EU, but doubts persist
The European Commission on Wednesday reached a deal with Italy over its 2019 budget, avoiding disciplinary steps against Rome, ending months of verbal sparring and buoying Italian bonds and shares.
Lectured by Sisi on body weight, Egyptians respond with jokes
Egyptians on social media have been poking fun at comments from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling out Egyptians for being overweight – the second time the former general has picked up on the subject in as many months.
Germany lauds Italy’s budget deal with European Commission
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Wednesday welcomed an agreement reached between Italy and the European Commission to resolve their lingering dispute over Rome’s budget plans.
Mogadishu-backed candidate wins test-case regional Somali election
Lawmakers in a volatile region of Somalia elected the federal government’s preferred candidate as its leader on Wednesday after a popular former al Shabaab leader was barred from running in the vote seen as test of the country’s political progress.
Factbox: Reaction to the UK government’s post-Brexit immigration plans
The British government set out its biggest overhaul of immigration in decades on Wednesday, publishing a long-awaited policy paper on how it intends to approach the issue after it leaves the European Union. [nL8N1YO230] [nL8N1YO4G8]
100 days to Brexit, EU tells London: financiers on their own without a deal
With just 100 days until Brexit, the EU’s executive cautioned that most banking, insurance and other financial firms in Britain would be cut off from the European Union if there is no divorce deal.
100 days to Brexit, EU tells London: financiers on their own without a deal
With just 100 days until Brexit, the EU’s executive cautioned that most banking, insurance and other financial firms in Britain would be cut off from the European Union if there is no divorce deal.
U.N. WFP to cut back food aid to Palestinians
The World Food Programme (WFP) is to cut food aid next year to about 190,000 poor Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank due a shortage of funds, the WFP’s senior official for the Palestinian Territories said on Wednesday.
