Category: World

In an effort to contain the coronavirus, Wuhan, the Chinese city of about 11 million people, has locked down thousands of foreigners, including African students, most on scholarships. They are now trapped in the city where the virus was first detected and continues to spread.Twenty-eight-year-old Michael Njomo arrived in Wuhan city last September. He applied …

Read more “Kenyan Students Among Foreigners Stuck in Coronavirus-Hit Chinese City”

After three and-a-half years of tortuous negotiations and political chaos, Britain will officially leave the European Union at 11 o’clock in the evening London time Friday. Pro-Brexit supporters are planning celebrations – but there were emotional scenes in Brussels as the last British lawmakers departed this week. As Henry Ridgwell in London reports, January 31st …

Read more “Tears And Cheers As Britain Set For Historic Brexit Day”

Russia and China are waging a “digital war” with fake news and disinformation to undermine democracy in Europe, and the European Union must develop tools to fight back, a top EU official said Thursday.European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova, who leads efforts to preserve democratic principles across the bloc, said the two countries have “weaponized …

Read more “EU: Russia, China Use ‘Digital War’ to Undermine Democracies”

European countries on Thursday stepped up efforts to contain the virus infecting central China, sending a plane to evacuate hundreds of Europeans from the country and halting even more flights to China. Italian authorities kept some 7,000 people on a cruise ship while they checked for a possible infection.An A380 plane took off from a …

Read more “Europe Evacuation Flight off to China, Cruise Ship Checked”

European diplomats are sounding an upbeat note about coming trade talks with the United States, seemingly unfazed by President Donald Trump’s tough talk and tariff threats aimed at securing new concessions from the European Union.“When we fight, we make headlines,” said Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the EU delegation in the United States, at a reception …

Read more “EU Envoy Pins Trade Progress With US to Geostrategic Concerns”

Britain’s departure from the European Union was backed by European lawmakers Wednesday, after a debate that mixed warm words of love with hard-headed warnings to the country not to seek too many concessions during upcoming trade talks on a future relationship.      The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved Britain’s departure terms from the EU, the …

Read more “Brexit Deal Cleared by EU Parliament; UK Set to Leave Friday”

The pro-independence head of the Catalonian government said on Wednesday he planned to call a snap regional election in a move that could have a major impact on Spain’s national politics.Quim Torra cited distrust in his coalition partner in the regional government and said he wanted to regain unity among separatist parties to move towards …

Read more “In Bid to Reinvigorate Independence Drive, Spain’s Catalonia Gets Set for Snap Regional Election”

The United Nations has been hacked.An internal confidential document from the United Nations, leaked to The New Humanitarian and seen by The Associated Press, says that dozens of servers were “compromised” at offices in Geneva and Vienna.Those include the U.N. human rights office, which has often been a lightning rod of criticism from autocratic governments …

Read more “Leaked Report Shows United Nations Suffered Hack”

The BBC said on Wednesday it will cut around 450 jobs from its news division as part of an 80 million pound savings drive and modernization program.The corporation said it would reorganize its newsroom along a “story-led” model where staff will be assigned to stories and not attached to individual programs. “We need to reshape …

Read more “Britain’s BBC to Cut 450 Newsroom Jobs in Cost-Cutting Drive”

In a groundbreaking case in France, energy giant Total is being sued for allegedly failing to adequately fight climate change.The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by environmental groups and local authorities who feel it has potential global implications.The legal action against Total will be the first use of a 2017 French law to sue for …

Read more “Energy Giant Total Taken to French Court for Climate Inaction  “

An Istanbul court has defied the European Court of Human Rights, ruling in favor of the continued detention of prominent philanthropist Osman Kavala. In December, the European Court demanded the immediate release of Kavala, who is on trial for sedition.Kavala and 15 other civil society activists are accused of supporting anti-government protests in 2013 against …

Read more “Turkish Court Defies Europe, Leaves Philanthropist Behind Bars”

The pressure on Britain’s disgraced Prince Andrew increased Tuesday after the revelation by U.S. authorities that he has failed to cooperate with the FBI’s investigation into his ties with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents five of Epstein’s alleged sexual trafficking victims, said Tuesday that it’s time for Andrew …

Read more “New Pressure on Prince Andrew to Help Epstein Investigation”

Members of Turkey’s largest journalism trade union rallied outside Ankara’s Communications Directorate on Monday to protest the government’s mass cancellation of state-issued press credentials.According to the Journalist’s Union of Turkey, known by its Turkish acronym TGS, and international press advocacy groups, such as the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), up to 1,400 press cards have …

Read more “Turkey Journalists Protest Press Pass Cancellations”

A moderate earthquake shook buildings in western Turkey on Tuesday, sending people running into the streets for safety, Turkish media reports said. Authorities said there were no immediate reports of any injury or major damage.      The quake came just four days after a strong earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Friday, toppling buildings and …

Read more “Moderate Quake Shakes Western Turkey, No Injuries Reported”

The U.S. State Department removed a National Public Radio reporter from the press pool for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s upcoming foreign trip, a press association and NPR said on Monday, days after Pompeo angrily responded to another NPR journalist’s interview with him. The removal of NPR reporter Michele Kelemen, who was part of the …

Read more “US State Department Bars NPR Reporter from Pompeo Trip After Testy Interview”

The European Union will “never, never, never” compromise on the integrity of its single market, its chief Brexit negotiator warned Britain on Monday, saying London must now face reality after underestimating the costs of leaving.Some British politicians have suggested Brussels might be flexible on its rules in order to protect trade flows in talks due …

Read more “EU Tells UK It Will ‘Never, Never, Never’ Compromise on Single Market”

The United States is refusing to rule out shrinking the size of its military presence in Africa despite warnings that without Washington’s help, critical counterterror efforts could fall apart.French Defense Minister Florence Parly delivered the latest plea for continued U.S. involvement in the counterterror fight Monday during talks with top U.S. military officials at the …

Read more “US Noncommittal on Keeping Troops in Africa”

This week Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heads to London as British officials weigh whether or not to allow Chinese telecom giant Huawei to take part in the country’s buildout of its 5G network.The British government is expected to make the decision Tuesday.  FILE – Signage is seen at the Huawei offices in Reading, Britain, May …

Read more “Britain’s Decision on Huawei Tests Special Relationship with US”

Greece is pushing back against Turkish demands that it demilitarize 16 Aegean islands. The Turkish government maintains it is defending Turkey’s rights and remains committed to negotiation, but analysts warn Turkey’s increasingly “robust diplomacy” threatens to isolate Ankara and escalate regional tensions.  “Greece does not provoke, does not violate the sovereign rights of others, but it …

Read more “Greece Rebuffs Turkish Demands to Demilitarize Aegean Islands”

For a city already familiar with losing a basketball hero, Kobe Bryant’s death made a particularly strong impact in the Italian town of Rieti.Nicknamed “the center of Italy” for its geographic location amid the Appenine Mountains, Rieti was the first stop on Bryant’s seven-year childhood tour of the country.It’s where Joe Bryant, Kobe’s father, made …

Read more “Italian Town Where Bryant Played As A Kid Mourns”

France hopes “good sense” will prevail and the United States will not slash support for French military operations in West Africa, where groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State are expanding their foothold.Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian made the appeal as Defense Minister Florence Parly was due to meet U.S. counterparts on Monday to …

Read more “France Urges US to Stay in Fight Against Islamists in Africa’s Sahel”

Italian voters thwarted right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini’s hopes of turning an election in a key northern region into a springboard for regaining national power, nearly complete results showed Monday. The center-left Democrats’ incumbent won 51.4% of Sunday’s vote for the governorship of the prosperous Emilia-Romagna region — a longtime center-left stronghold — with Salvini’s League party …

Read more “Italy’s Regional Voters Thwart Hopes of Right-Wing Forces”

Consider the places that best prepare their students for the future and what comes to mind are nations such as Finland and South Korea, which are famous the world over for their education systems. However these are also fairly high income nations. What happens when educational performance is adjusted for different income levels? Then developing …

Read more “Report: Poorer Nations Squeeze More Out Off Limited School Budgets”

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of “serious consequences” if he allows the Chinese telecom giant Huawei a role in building Britain’s 5G phone network, according to officials on both sides of the Atlantic.The warning follows months of lobbying of Downing Street by top U.S. officials who aim to persuade …

Read more “US Warns Britain Against China’s Huawei 5G Network”