By James Mackenzie, Dan Williams, Maya Gebeily and Laila Bassam JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) – An escalating war of words between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon echoes heightened tension at the border, with each vowing to return the other to the “stone age” and preparing for a possible conflict even as they deny seeking one. Israel …
Analysis-Israel-Hezbollah tensions elevate risks of conflict Read More »
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s lower house of parliament on Thursday elected Socialist Francina Armengol as its speaker with the backing of other parties whose votes will be needed to form a Socialist-led coalition government. Armengol’s candidacy received 178 votes in favour, out of 350 lawmakers, garnering crucial support from the seven lawmakers of pro-Catalan independence …
Socialist candidate elected speaker of Spain’s lower house of parliament Read More »
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s security service, SAPO, will raise its assessment of the terrorist threat to the nation to the second-highest level, daily Dagens Nyheter (DN) reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources. The threat level will be raised to level 4 from 3 on a scale of 1-5, DN reported. SAPO in a statement said …
Sweden to raise terrorist threat assessment -daily DN Read More »
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s Socialist party on Thursday won support from Catalan separatist parties in parliament’s lower house for its candidate to be speaker, a development that could lead to its first victory in the quest to form a new government. After an inconclusive election on July 23, newly elected legislators were assembling on Thursday …
Spain’s Socialist house speaker candidate wins support from Catalan groups Read More »
(This Aug. 16 story has been corrected to fix the name of Shell in paragraph 3) AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Netherlands’ highest court on Wednesday ruled that construction of a major carbon capture project in the Rotterdam port area can go ahead, despite objections by environmental activists. The planned “Porthos” project would be Europe’s largest …
Dutch court rules huge carbon capture project can go ahead Read More »
KYIV (Reuters) -The Ukrainian military on Thursday claimed more success in its counter-offensive against Russian forces on the southeastern front, a day after announcing the liberation of a village that had served as a Russian strongpoint. The military said Ukraine had made progress to the south of Urozhaine, a village in Donetsk region that Kyiv …
Ukraine claims gains on southeastern front, fighting rages in east Read More »
By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) – Access to the abortion pill mifepristone must be restricted, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday, ordering a ban on telemedicine prescriptions and shipments of the drug by mail, though the decision will not immediately take effect. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stopped short of ruling …
US appeals court backs abortion pill restrictions; Supreme Court appeal planned Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone on Wednesday with American citizen Paul Whelan, who is being held in a Russian prison, according to a source familiar with the call. Blinken told Whelan to “keep the faith and we’re doing everything we can to bring you home as soon as possible,” …
Blinken spoke with Paul Whelan, American detained in Russian prison Read More »
By Daria Sito-Sucic SARAJEVO (Reuters) -A Bosnian girl is making traditional Balkan costumes with headdresses and decorative aprons for Barbie dolls, hoping to create interest in her folklore Barbie as the new “Barbie” movie wins fans worldwide. Eleven-year-old Esma Gljiva from Sarajevo started her project more than a month ago after seeing poor quality figures …
Bosnian girl creates ‘folklore Barbie’ as film wins doll new fans worldwide Read More »
By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS (Reuters) -The Lithuanian government said on Wednesday it had decided to close two of the country’s six border crossing points with Belarus due to “geopolitical circumstances”, weeks after Russian Wagner Group mercenaries took refuge in the country. The government did not spell out the circumstances nor threats in its reasoning for …
