AFP, BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom: Prime Minister Theresa May will give a speech to close her party’s conference Wednesday against a backdrop of currency turmoil and growing criticism of her plans for pulling Britain out of the EU. May will use the address to outline a programme designed to appeal…

AFP, UNITED NATIONS: The race to become the next UN chief takes a decisive turn on Wednesday when the big powers at the Security Council will for the…

AFP, MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for a boost of Russia’s defences to keep the nation “strong” as he opened the new parliament session amid a fresh upsurge in tensions with the United States. Putin addressed the State Duma after a crushing victory for ruling…

AFP, ABOARD THE ASTRAL, Italy: At least 32 Europe-bound migrants were found dead on a day of frantic rescues off Libya on Tuesday, an AFP photographer on board one of the rescue boats said. The photographer said Wednesday that at least 29 people had died in a crush on board a overcrowded rubber dinghy…

AFP, ANKARA: Iraq and Turkey on Wednesday were summoning their respective ambassadors in an increasingly acrimonious dispute between the two neighbours ahead of a planned operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from jihadists. Ankara called in the Iraqi ambassador while Baghdad said it had decided…

AFP, GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Israeli tank fire struck a Hamas post in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after a rocket launched from the Palestinian enclave hit a nearby Israeli city, with no casualties reported on either side. The rocket hit the Israeli city of Sderot, part of which lies barely…