Libya’s toothless outgoing government admitted on Monday from its safe refuge in the east of the country that it has in effect lost control of Tripoli to armed militia. The interim government led by prime minister Abdullah al-Thani, which resigned last week, said armed groups, mostly Islamist militia, were in …

Ukrainian troops on Sept. 1 were battling a Russian tank contingent in the eastern city of Lugansk, Kiev said, accusing Moscow’s army units of moving into large cities in the region. “The battle between Ukrainian paratroopers and a reinforced tank battalion of the Russian armed forces is continuing with the goal of controlling the …

Up to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been sent to Ukraine over the past two months, and at least several hundred have apparently died in combat there, rights groups exposing army abuses told AFP on Sept. 1.