FRANKFURT/MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - A new cyber virus spread from Ukraine to wreak havoc around the globe on Wednesday, crippling thousands of computers, disrupting ports from Mumbai to Los Angeles and halting production at a chocolate factory in Australia. . . more

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Flush with cash, political groups outside the White House are aggressively coming to President Donald Trump's aid as he battles low public approval numbers, questions about his election campaign's ties to Russia and a stalled legislative agenda. . . more

BRUSSELS/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad appeared so far to have heeded a warning this week from Washington not to carry out a chemical weapons attack. . . more

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's military pushed deeper into Mosul's Old City on Wednesday, taking two more districts from Islamic State and bringing it closer to total control of the city. . . more

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed confidence that the Republican-led Senate would ultimately prevail in passing legislation aimed at repealing and replacing the 2010 healthcare law passed under his predecessor, former Democratic president Barack Obama. . . more

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republican leaders faced calls from critics within the party on Wednesday for substantial changes, rather than mere tinkering, to a major healthcare bill if they are to salvage their effort to repeal major parts of the Obamacare law. . . more

CARACAS (Reuters) - The Venezuelan government hunted on Wednesday for rogue policemen who attacked key installations by helicopter, but critics of President Nicolas Maduro suspected the raid may have been manipulated to justify repression. . . more

MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Reuters) - Five decapitated civilians were found in a Philippine city occupied by Islamist rebels on Wednesday, the military said, warning the number of residents killed by rebel "atrocities" could rise sharply as troops retake more ground. . . more

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union formally extended its economic sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, a widely expected step that keeps restrictions on business with Russian energy, defense and financial sectors until Jan. 31, 2018. . . more

LONDON (Reuters) - Cladding on 120 different tower blocks has failed fire tests in the wake of a blaze that killed 79 people in London, showing a widespread breach of British building regulations over previous decades, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday. . . more