June 20, 2014
Juan Carlos signs his abdication
The reign of King Juan Carlos of Spain is in its final hours after he signed the bill formally abdicating in favour of his son, Prince Felipe. Juan Carlos, 76, signed the bill at a ceremony in the Royal Palace in Madrid, which was attended by only…
June 20, 2014
Militants Attack Iraq’s Main Oil Refinery
Sunni Islamist militants have attacked Iraq's main oil refinery, causing damage to the site in the latest stage of a surge that has included seizing territory across northern Iraq. The militants clashed with security forces at the refinery…
June 20, 2014
US seize Benghazi raid ‘ringleader
A suspect in the September 2012 raid on a US diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead has been captured, the Pentagon has said. Ahmed Abu Khat-a-llah was taken into custody in a secret raid in Libya on 15 June. He is now…
June 20, 2014
Clashes on approaches to Baghdad
Iraqi government forces are engaged in heavy clashes with Sunni insurgents who have made major advances in the past week. Parts of the city of Baquba - just (37 miles) from Baghdad - were briefly taken over by the rebels. Reports say 44 prisoners…
June 14, 2014
France rail strike halts many trains
A nationwide strike by train staff in France has halted many rail services and is set to run into the weekend. The strike began on Tuesday and is one of the longest to hit the railways. It has halted about half of inter-city trains and even more…
June 13, 2014
Sistani ‘issues’ Shia call to arms
Iraq's most senior Shia cleric has issued a call to arms while Sunni-led insurgents seize more towns. The call by a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani came during Friday prayers, as the militants widened their grip in the north and…
June 13, 2014
Kiev forces win back Mariupol
Government troops in eastern Ukraine have won back the port city of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatist rebels after heavy fighting. Interior Minister Arseny Avakov said the security forces had successfully brought separatist strongholds in the…
June 12, 2014
Iraq Militants Threaten Move on Baghdad
Islamist Sunni militants are threatening to advance on Iraq's capital, pushing to within 100 kilometers to the north, after seizing several other key cities in a blow to the country's Shi'ite-led government. A spokesman for the Islamic State in Iraq…
June 10, 2014
Moscow and Kiev seek ‘end to bloodshed’
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President-elect Petro Poroshenko have called for a quick end to the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine, Russian officials have said. The two leaders were meeting for the first time since Mr Poroshenko's…
June 3, 2014
Ukraine PM Yatsenyuk in Russia border demand
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on Russia to control its border to stop "terrorists" from crossing into his territory. Mr Yatsenyuk said Kiev could solve the crisis quickly if Moscow stopped meddling in the situation. But…