EU threatens Britain with legal action over bill to override Brexit deal
The European Union said Thursday it will take legal action against the British government for violating the terms of their Brexit agreement.
World News
The U.S. and China could slip into a ‘new cold war’ that pushes countries to pick sides
The U.S. and China have “diametrically opposed values” and will eventually slip into a “new cold war” in the coming decades, said a China analyst from Fitch Solutions.
EU consider deployment of military observers to Libya if a ceasefire holds
The European Union is considering the possible high-risk deployment of EU military observers to Libya in the event a ceasefire holds in the war-torn North African country, Politico reports. Libya has been the scene of a years-long civil war between Tripoli’s UN-backed Government of National Accord headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, and rebel General Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA).
Asia is the world’s worst region for mass surveillance privacy violations
According to a new Right-to-Privacy Index (RPI), Asia has become the world’s worst region for mass surveillance privacy violations, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reports. Published by British-based risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, the RPI cites Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, India and the Philippines as among the worst offenders.
EU Rejects Hungary’s Call For Ouster Of Rule-Of-Law Official
The European Union’s executive has rejected a demand by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to dismiss its top rule of law official for comments about Hungary’s ‘ailing democracy.’
IAEA Inspects Second Suspected Nuclear Site In Iran
The UN’s nuclear watchdog says it has gained access to a second site in Iran where nuclear activities are suspected to have taken place in the past, as agreed with Tehran last month.
US Secretary of State talks to Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister about Israeli peace agreements with Arab states
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on the phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisalbin Farhan Sunday, discussing the Abraham peace accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, Israel National News reports. Following the signing of the Abraham Accords on September 15, President Donald Trump said he expected Saudi Arabia to also normalize ties with Israel “when the time comes.”
Flooding in South Sudan: 700,000 people in hunger and livelihood crisis
Unprecedented flooding in South Sudan has devastated the lives of around 700,000 people, causing a hunger crisis amid the destruction of jobs and harvests, VOA News reports. The World Food Program (WFP) has sounded the alarm about a disaster that is exacerbated by ongoing violence and the COVID-19 economic crisis in the country. WFP is calling for $58 million for the next six months to rebuild South Sudanese infrastructure and to support those in need.
WHO announces nearly $1 billion to fight COVID-19
The World Health Organization announced nearly $1 billion in new pledges on Wednesday for the effort to battle the coronavirus pandemic and make sure that poor countries get treatments and vaccines against COVID-19.
Netanyahu warns Iran will soon have enough enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons during UN address
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly that Iran will have enough nuclear material to produce two bombs in just a matter of months.
World Mourns 1 Million Coronavirus Deaths
Authorities say the world’s coronavirus death toll crosses one million, causing grief worldwide.
U.S. Might Close Embassy Unless Iraq Prevents Iran Militia Attacks
The Trump administration may close its embassy in Iraq if the government does not take steps to protect it from attacks by Iranian-backed militants.
Concerns over Christian Refugees in Hungary where U.S. Broadcaster Returns
There is mounting concern about the plight of persecuted Christian refugees in Hungary despite government pledges to help them.
Russia Sends Troops to Belarus, Challenging NATO
Russian troops deployed to Belarus for military exercises last week have not yet left, potentially challenging the security of NATO countries in the Baltic region.
Saudi Arabia says it disbanded terror cell trained by Iran
Saudi Arabia on Monday said it broke up a terrorist cell that had received training from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arresting 10 people and seizing weapons and explosives.
Belarus Admits Detaining Hundreds After Massive Rallies
Authorities in Belarus have admitted detaining hundreds of people in a weekend of massive protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko across the country.
U.S. bracing for Chinese takeover of region amid military buildup
China’s recent takeover of Hong Kong is raising fears Taiwan is the next target in Beijing’s aggressive push for regional control, said White House National Security Adviser Robert C. O’Brien.
China is building more secret detention centers in Xinjiang, think tank says
China’s network of detention centers in Xinjiang, where Muslim minorities are allegedly being subjected to acts of repression, appears to be expanding — and a greater number of the facilities are resembling prisons, an Australian think tank says.
At UN, Africa urges fiscal help against virus ‘apocalypse’
African nations came out swinging on the third day of the United Nations annual gathering of world leaders Thursday, calling for dramatic fiscal measures to help economies survive the coronavirus pandemic — which one leader called the “fifth horseman of the apocalypse.”
Seismic Change Grips Iran As Population Turns More Secular, Less Religious
A first-of-its-kind survey reveals significant shifts in Iranians’ attitudes toward religious beliefs and their authoritarian government.