World

European powers — backed by the United States — are pushing ahead with a plan to censure Iran for its poor cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog at a board meeting starting Wednesday, diplomats told AFP.Tensions between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have repeatedly flared since a 2015 deal curbing Tehran’s nuclear …

Iran faces fresh censure over lack of cooperation at UN nuclear meeting Read More »

Under grey skies outside the court where 45 Hong Kong democracy campaigners were jailed for subversion on Tuesday, supporters were both despondent and defiant as a trial encapsulating the city’s erosion of political freedoms finally came to a close.The case was the largest prosecuted under the city’s 2020 national security law, imposed by Beijing after …

Despondency and defiance as 45 Hong Kong campaigners jailed Read More »

Hong Kong’s largest national security trial came to an end on Tuesday with 45 pro-democracy figures jailed for holding an informal election over four years ago. The defendants, who include some of the city’s most prominent activists, received sentences ranging from four years and two months to 10 years for “conspiracy to subvert the state power”.The …

Scholar, lawmakers and journalist among Hong Kongers jailed Read More »

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on Tuesday asked the country’s constitutional court to annul last month’s parliamentary election result, while police in Tbilisi cracked down on a protest against the vote, denounced by the pro-Western opposition as rigged.The European Union and the United States have called for a probe into “irregularities” during the October 26 election …

Police break up Georgia vote protest as president mounts court challenge Read More »

Spain’s royals made a highly anticipated return to the epicentre of catastrophic floods on Tuesday after a chaotic trip where survivors hurled mud and insults at them.The European country is reeling from the October 29 disaster that has killed 227 people and sparked widespread fury at elected leaders for their perceived mishandling of the crisis.That …

Spain royals visit flood epicentre after chaotic trip Read More »

A Hong Kong court on Tuesday jailed all 45 defendants convicted of subversion in the city’s largest national security trial, with “mastermind” Benny Tai receiving the longest term of 10 years.International condemnation was swift, with Western countries and rights groups slamming the sentencing as evidence of the erosion of political freedoms in the city since …

Hong Kong court jails 45 democracy campaigners on subversion charges Read More »

G20 leaders on Tuesday were holding the final day of a summit that offered some impetus to stalled UN climate talks, diverged on wars in Ukraine and the Middle East — and foresaw global turbulence as Donald Trump readies to take over the US presidency.Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, host of the Rio …

G20 leaders talk climate, wars — and brace for Trump’s return Read More »

Ukraine said Tuesday that its forces would never surrender to Russia, 1,000 days after Moscow launched its brutal invasion, while the Kremlin also pledged victory and escalated its nuclear sabre-rattling.The grim anniversary opened with an overnight Russian strike in the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy that gutted a Soviet-era resident building and killed at least …

Ukraine vows no surrender, Kremlin issues nuke threat on 1,000th day of war Read More »

Spain’s royals will make a highly anticipated return to the epicentre of catastrophic floods on Tuesday after a chaotic trip where survivors hurled mud and insults at them, local media said.The European country is reeling from the October 29 disaster that has killed 227 people and sparked widespread fury at the governing class for their …

Spain royals to visit flood epicentre after chaotic trip: media Read More »

French farmers planned on Tuesday to step up their protests against a proposed trade pact between the European Union and four South American countries, saying it threatens their livelihoods.The French government is leading resistance against ratification of the trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay that would create the world’s …

French farmers step up protests against EU-Mercosur deal Read More »