LONDON — Less than two months ahead of the COP29 United Nations Climate Summit, the Azerbaijani leadership laid out its plans on Tuesday for what it hoped to achieve, as countries continue to wrestle with how to raise ambitions for a new financing target. The main task for the November summit is for countries to agree …
Read more “COP29 leaders unveil climate funding and energy storage goals”
PARIS — When French prosecutors took aim at Telegram boss Pavel Durov, they had a trump card to wield – a tough new law with no international equivalent that criminalizes tech titans whose platforms allow illegal products or activities. The so-called LOPMI law, enacted in January 2023, has placed France at the forefront of a group …
Read more “France uses tough, untested cybercrime law to target Telegram’s Durov”
STOCKHOLM — Lower voter turnout and increasingly contested results globally are threatening the credibility of elections, an intergovernmental watchdog warned on Tuesday, as its sub-index for free and fair elections suffered its biggest decline on record in 2023. In its report, the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) said 2023 was the eighth …
TEL AVIV — Ahead of Russia hosting the 2024 BRICS Summit from Oct. 22-24, Turkey’s application to join the group of major emerging economies is coming under scrutiny. The BRIC, or Brazil, Russia, India and China, platform was initiated by Russia in 2009 as an informal club to provide members with a conduit for challenging the …
Read more “Turkey’s BRICS bid ahead of Russia summit plays both sides”
…
geneva — Seven candidates are competing for one of the biggest and best jobs in world sports that traditionally becomes available only every 12 years. The International Olympic Committee announced on Monday which of its members in a most exclusive and discreet club have entered the race to be its next president. The election by secret …
Read more “As election for IOC president looms, what is the job and who are the 7 candidates?”
Germany began implementing checks on all its land borders Monday as the government tries to crack down on irregular migration. As Henry Ridgwell reports, many of Germany’s neighbors have criticized the plan, which they say undermines the core European Union principle of freedom of movement. …
MOSCOW — The trial of a French citizen arrested in Russia on charges of unlawfully collecting information on military issues started Monday but was quickly adjourned for a month. Laurent Vinatier, arrested in Moscow in June, had earlier admitted guilt, setting the stage for a fast-track trial without a detailed examination of evidence. But quickly after …
Paris — Thousands of people protested sexual violence across France this past weekend, as two high-profile cases rock the country: one involving a woman who was allegedly drugged and raped by dozens of men for years; the other targeting a once-beloved French clergyman, who fought for the rights of the homeless. In French cities like Marseille …
Read more “Thousands protest in France as high-profile rape cases rock country”
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department imposed on Monday sanctions on two Georgian government officials and two members of the country’s pro-Russian far-right movement who it said were involved in violent crackdowns on protests. Large street protests erupted in Georgia over a “foreign agent” law, which the South Caucasus country’s parliament passed in May despite criticism, …
Read more “US imposes sanctions on 4 Georgians over protest crackdowns”
Lausanne, Switzerland — World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe is the highest profile of the seven candidates to have declared on Monday their bid to succeed International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. Coe will face stiff opposition from, among others, Kirsty Coventry, bidding to become the first woman and African to head the IOC, and cycling boss …
Read more “Coe among 7 candidates to succeed Bach as IOC president”
Frankfurt-Oder, Germany — Germany on Monday expanded border controls to the frontiers with all its nine neighbors in hopes of curbing the flow of irregular migrants, a move that has sparked protests from other EU members. Federal police in high-visibility vests braved rains at road and highway crossings for spot checks of passenger cars, buses and …
Read more “Germany expands border controls to curb migrant arrivals”
Rome — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Monday to discuss tackling illegal immigration, a day after another Channel migrant shipwreck claimed eight lives. Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party was elected with a crushing parliamentary majority in July, has vowed to fight illegal immigration, a hot-button topic …
Read more “UK PM Starmer meets Italy’s Meloni for illegal immigration talks “
PRAGUE — The death toll was rising in Central European countries on Sunday after days of heavy rains caused widespread flooding and forced evacuations. Several Central European nations have already been hit by severe flooding, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania. Slovakia and Hungary might come next as a result of a low pressure …
Read more “Death toll rises as torrential rain and flooding force evacuations in Central Europe “
…
Osaka, Japan — Japan celebrated on Monday the record-breaking Emmy Awards triumph of “Shogun”, although many confessed not having watched the series about the country’s warring dynasties in the feudal era. “Shogun” smashed all-time records at the television awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, taking home an astounding 18 statuettes and becoming the first non-English-language …
Read more “Japan celebrates historic Emmys triumph for ‘Shogun’ “
…
LOS ANGELES — “Hacks” won the comedy series at Sunday’s Emmy Awards, topping “The Bear,” which took home several of the night’s honors. “Shogun” won the best drama series win, collecting a whopping 18 Emmys for its first season, just one of several historic wins. Hiroyuki Sanada won best actor in a drama for “Shogun” on …
LOS ANGELES — The 76th annual Emmy Awards were handed out Sunday at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. “Shogun” set a single season record for most wins with 18. “Shogun” won best drama series, and Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai won acting awards for their roles. “Hacks’’ won the award for best comedy series. ”Baby Reindeer” …
Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again Sunday urged Western allies to permit Kyiv to strike military targets deep inside Russia, especially air bases, after a deadly attack on Kharkiv. “Only a systemic solution makes it possible to oppose this terror: the long-range solution to destroy Russian military aviation where it is based,” …
Read more “Zelenskyy again urges West to allow strikes deep inside Russia”
…
Los Angeles — Hollywood will dole out the annual Emmy Awards, the highest honors in television, Sunday at a red-carpet ceremony where the historical drama “Shogun” and restaurant tale “The Bear” are poised to dominate the night. “Shogun,” a lavish epic about a power struggle in 17th-century Japan, is the front-runner to take the night’s top …
Read more “Emmys return with ‘Shogun’ and ‘The Bear’ leading the pack”
What is Art? It’s an age-old question: is it paint on canvas, ceramics or sculpture? The fun part is – art can be anything – and can even be created with a chainsaw. That’s the medium of one artist from the U.S. state of Virginia. Maxim Adams has the story. (Camera: Andrey Degtyarev; Produced by: Andrey …
Read more “Chainsaw art – turning tree stumps into masterpieces”
Rome — The Italian army will start guarding medical staff at a hospital in the southern Calabria region from Monday, after a string of violent attacks on doctors and nurses by enraged patients and relatives across Italy, according to local media reports. Prefect Paolo Giovanni Grieco has approved a plan to reinforce the surveillance services already …
Read more “Italian army to guard hospital after attacks on medical staff “