The South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia has voted to remain part of France, election authorities announced. Officials said 53.26% of more than 180,000 registered voters rejected independence in a referendum Sunday. At least 80% of eligible voters went to the polls. In a tweet, French President Emmanuel Macron called the vote a “mark of confidence in …
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not particularly wish for the Brexit transition period to end without a new trade deal in place but believes that Britain could live with such an outcome, he said on Sunday. With the Dec. 31 expiry of the transition period fast approaching, Johnson and the head of the EU’s executive, …
Read more “UK’s Johnson Doesn’t Want a No-deal Brexit but Can Live with it “
Belgium has arrested and charged three men suspected of involvement in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.A spokesperson for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement Saturday that the three had been “charged with serious human rights abuses.”Eric Van Duyse said two had been arrested Tuesday in Brussels and the third had been arrested Wednesday …
Read more “3 Arrested in Belgium, Suspected of Involvement in 1994 Rwanda Genocide”
Iran has temporarily released French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah, who has been in jail after being convicted of security breaches, her lawyer said Saturday on Twitter.”Fariba Adelkhah has come out [of prison] on leave with an electronic ankle bracelet,” Saeid Dehghan said in a tweet, without giving any other details of the release.There was no immediate …
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Heavy fighting continued between Armenia and Azerbaijan forces Saturday in the conflict over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, officials from both countries said.Armenian and Azerbaijani forces seemingly ignored calls this week by the U.S., France and Russia for an immediate cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic-Armenian breakaway province inside Azerbaijan.Armenian Defense Ministry officials said they had …
Read more “Heavy Fighting by Armenia, Azerbaijan Reported in Nagorno-Karabakh”
A festive, jubilant crowd thronged Berlin’s historic Brandenburg Gate 30 years ago Saturday, celebrating the reunification of Germany less than a year after the Berlin Wall had fallen.Located in Berlin’s eastern communist sector, the Brandenburg Gate had been inaccessible to West Germans for 28 years. But not on October 3, 1990, with strains of Beethoven’s …
Read more “German Reunification at 30: Still Struggling to Shed History”
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continued fighting Saturday for the seventh day over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, ignoring international calls for a cease-fire. Armenia says the territory’s capital, Stepanakert, was the target of bombing by Azeri forces. Authorities in the breakaway territory have warned that the “last battle” for the region has begun. …
Read more “Fighting Over Nagorno-Karabakh Continues, Despite Calls for Cease-Fire”
A festive, jubilant crowd thronged Berlin’s historic Brandenburg Gate 30 years ago Saturday, celebrating the reunification of Germany less than a year after the Berlin Wall had fallen.Located in Berlin’s eastern communist sector, the Brandenburg Gate had been inaccessible to West Germans for 28 years. But not on October 3, 1990, with strains of Beethoven’s …
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called on a lawmaker from her own ruling Scottish National Party to resign after she traveled by train following a positive test for COVID-19. Westminster Member of Parliament Margaret Ferrier was suspended Thursday by her party after breaking self-isolation rules to attend Parliament in London while awaiting results of a …
Read more “Scottish Leader Demands Resignation of MP Who Traveled After Positive COVID-19 Test”
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday called Islam “a religion that is in crisis all over the world,” in a speech addressing what he calls “separatism” in France’s Islamic community. In remarks delivered in the western Paris suburb of Les Mureaux, Macron said Islam is a religion in deep crisis worldwide, even in countries where …
Read more “Islam in ‘Crisis All Over the World’ France’s Macron Says”
President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus, joining a small group of world leaders who have been infected. Trump is 74, putting him at higher risk of serious complications. Here’s a look at other leaders who have had the virus. Some are sending Trump their wishes for a speedy recovery.Boris Johnson The British …
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Since Sunday, Armenian and Azerbaijan forces have been fighting over the disputed Caucasus’ Nagorno Karabakh enclave. With the fighting escalating, the support for Azerbaijan by Turkey, a NATO member, is drawing growing international scrutiny and criticism. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. Camera: Berke Bas Producer: Jason Godman …
A British judge will deliver a decision January 4 on whether to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face charges, including espionage.District Judge Vanessa Baraitser made the announcement at London’s Old Bailey Court after nearly four weeks of hearings.The U.S. has requested extradition of Australian-born Assange on 17 espionage charges and …
Read more “WikiLeaks Founder’s Extradition Ruling Set for 2021”
EU leaders overcame a diplomatic stalemate Friday to agree on sanctions on Belarus after a long evening of summit talks, assuring Cyprus the bloc would stand firm on Turkey for its oil and gas drilling in the Mediterranean.The agreement to sanction some 40 Belarus officials accused of rigging an Aug. 9 presidential election allows the …
Read more “EU Leaders Win Agreement for Sanctions on Belarus”
Britain’s primary environmental agency announced that beginning Thursday a ban on all “single-use” beverage straws is in effect, making it illegal for businesses to sell or supply them to individual customers. The ban was passed and set to take effect in April, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted law makers to postpone its implementation so …
Millions of Madrileños were preparing to go into lockdown once again Thursday as authorities in Western Europe’s worst hotspot shut down the Spanish capital to try to halt a new surge in COVID-19 cases. The Spanish government gave regional authorities 48 hours to comply with new restrictions which will affect this city of more than 3 …
Read more “As Spain’s Infection Rates Soar (Again), Divisions Widen”
Efforts to rein in a potential nuclear arms race and the weaponization of outer space will be high on the United States agenda at an upcoming United Nations disarmament meeting. A hybrid meeting of the U.N. General Assembly First Committee, which deals with disarmament issues, will be held as part of the UNGA session in …
Read more “Nuclear Arms Race, Weaponization of Outer Space High on US Disarmament Agenda”
European leaders will attempt to end a stalemate Thursday that is preventing them from placing economic sanctions on top Belarusian officials accused of rigging the presidential election and violently cracking down on peaceful protesters following the August vote.At a two-day meeting in Brussels, EU leaders are expected to confront Cyprus, one of the EU’s smallest …
Read more “EU Leaders Meet to Break Stalemate Over Belarusian Sanctions”
The European Union Thursday took legal action against Britain regarding its proposed Internal Market legislation that would breach sections of the exit agreement the nation signed with the bloc last year. At a news conference in Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula Van Der Leyen said the EU had given Britain until the end of September …
Read more “EU Takes Legal Action Against Britain Over Brexit Bill”
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has told a German magazine that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind his poisoning.In excerpts of his comments released Thursday by Der Spiegel, Navalny said, “I don’t have any other versions of how the crime was committed.”The Kremlin has denied any involvement.Navalny fell ill on an August 20 flight and …
Read more “Navalny Tells Magazine Putin Was Behind Poisoning”
The Spanish government has issued limited lockdown orders on Madrid as the country experiences a new surge of coronavirus cases.The capital city’s 3 million residents will not be allowed to venture from their homes except to go to work, school, shopping or for medical care. All bars and restaurants will be forced to close earlier …
Read more “Spain Orders New Lockdown Measures on Madrid After COVID-19 Cases Spike”
The United States has held off on joining Britain and Canada in imposing sanctions on Belarus in hopes the European Union can overcome an internal dispute, paving the way to coordinated U.S. and EU sanctions, four sources said on Wednesday.The EU had vowed in August to impose sanctions on Belarus for alleged fraud in its …
Read more “US Held Back on Belarus Sanctions, Hoping for Joint Move With EU”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson received a rare reprimand Wednesday by the speaker of the House of Commons for treating lawmakers with contempt by rushing through far-reaching COVID-19 restrictions without proper review by lawmakers.Just before the prime minister’s weekly “question time” with members of Parliament, Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, admonished Johnson …
Read more “British PM Receives Rare Rebuke in House of Commons”