- Japan and the US have agreed to accelerate their trade talks after an initial meeting in Washington suggested the two sides will stick to a narrow range of topics;
- Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan’s economy minister, said he would meet US trade representative Robert Lighthizer again next week after a day of “frank” discussions in Washington.
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot authorities have decided to turn Varosha, which has remained abandoned and uninhabited for 46 years, into a major tourism destination.
The people of Turkey and Turkish Cyprus will not accept deadlock as the fate of the long-divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Feb. 15. Source Daily News
The bloc has resolved to monitor a UN arms embargo, which is routinely flouted. The naval element had been a sticking point for some countries because of the possible incentive for migrants looking to reach Europe. Source Deutsche Welle
All six prosecutors who formed part of the MH17 investigation in Ukraine have been transferred or dismissed, including the two who were part of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating the plane crash, NRC reports. Ukraine is reorganizing its public prosecution office in the fight against corruption. Source NL Times
