The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from prison after a judge ruled he could serve the rest of his sentence outside jail under strict judicial supervision, The Guardian reports. Sarkozy, 70, was driven by car from La Santé prison in Paris accompanied by his wife, the singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and arrived…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed claims that his relationship with the US president was volatile, insisting he is not “afraid” of him. In an interview with The Guardian, he also rejected reports that, during a White House meeting in October, Trump had “tossed maps aside”. “He didn’t throw anything. I am sure,” he said. He…
An Istanbul court on Friday issued arrest warrants for 37 suspects, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza and against the Global Sumud Flotilla vessel that was seized in October, Anadolu reports. The warrants were issued upon the request of the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is privately telling confidants that JD Vance is the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination and that he’d support the vice president if he chose to run, according to two people close to the administration, Politico reports. Rubio’s private comments are a vivid example of how some Republicans are…
Tesla boss Elon Musk has had a record-breaking pay package that could be worth nearly $1tn approved by shareholders. The unprecedented deal was approved by 75% of votes and drew huge applause from the audience at the firm’s annual general meeting on Thursday. Musk, who is already the world’s richest man, must drastically…
A bipartisan group of US senators is urging Hungary to stop buying Russian energy ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday, Bloomberg reports. US lawmakers expressed concern that Hungary has shown “no signs of reducing its reliance on Russian fossil fuels” and called on Orbán and…
Reuters. The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 140 with another 127 people still missing, the disaster agency said on Thursday (November 6), as the storm that devastated the country’s central regions regained strength as it headed towards Vietnam. At Talisay City in the hardest-hit province of Cebu, houses at…
Reuters. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met foreign ministers from five Central Asian states on Wednesday (November 5), saying that he planned to visit their countries in the coming year. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (November 6) for talks…
Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey lawmaker serving in the US House of Representatives, has won the governor’s race in the Garden State, BBC reports. In one of several races that are seen as an indication of the public mood on the Trump administration’s policies, Sherill will succeed Democrat Governor Phil Murphy. The…
Democrats swept a trio of races on Tuesday (November 4) in the first major elections since Donald Trump regained the presidency, giving the beleaguered party a shot of momentum as it looks ahead to the congressional midterm elections next year, Reuters reports. In New York City, Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, won the…
Reuters. Protesters gathered outside the Serbian parliament in Belgrade on Monday night (November 3), in a rally against President Aleksandar Vucic’s government. Despite heavy rain, wind and loud music blaring from government-installed speakers, hundreds joined the protest. It is the latest in the now year-long wave of demonstrations in Serbia ignited by the…
Reuters. Republican U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday (November 3) he will restrict federal funds for New York City if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the city’s mayoral elections that will be held on Tuesday. If Mamdani won the election, Trump said on Truth Social that “it is highly unlikely that I will…
A medieval tower in the heart of Italy’s capital, near the famous Roman Forum ruins, partially collapsed on Monday during renovations of the structure, critically injuring one worker and trapping another, authorities said, AP reports. Hundreds of tourists watched as firefighters used a mobile ladder to bring a stretcher to the upper level of…
Russia is planning to issue its debut yuan-denominated bond on the local market this year, sources told Reuters, offering an investment option for the vast amounts of yuan liquidity accumulated by exporters and banks from Russian energy sales to China, Reuters reports. Three financial market sources said the Finance Ministry plans up to four…
China is proposing to the international community to establish a global organization for cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI), Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. “China proposes establishing a global organization for cooperation on artificial intelligence to provide public goods in the field of AI…
The Pentagon has given the White House the green light to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles after assessing that it would not negatively impact US stockpiles, leaving the final political decision in President Donald Trump’s hands, according to three US and European officials familiar with the matter, CNN reports. Trump said earlier this…
The United States is preparing a plan to deploy international stabilization forces in the Gaza Strip within a matter of weeks, the Al Arabiya television channel reported, citing sources. According to the Saudi channel, the international forces in Gaza will include both Arab and foreign troops. The specific countries expected to contribute military personnel…
In a big move to further partnership, the United States signed a 10-year Defence Framework with India on Friday, announced Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, saying that the two countries’ “defence ties have never been stronger,” Hindustan Times reports. Hegseth took to X and said he met the Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh and…
Reuters. Police have arrested five more suspects linked to the theft of treasures worth $102 million (87.82 million euros) from the Louvre museum’s Apollo gallery, the Paris prosecutor said on Thursday (October 30), expressing hope the latest developments will help them find the jewels. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told radio station RTL the suspects,…
The outcome of Wednesday’s vote in the Netherlands could determine the strength of the far-right in a knife-edge race, Euronews reports. Dutch voters began casting their ballots across the Netherlands on Wednesday in a close-run snap election called after far-right Geert Wilders brought down the outgoing four-party coalition in a dispute over immigration. …
South Korea welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday with a replica gold crown and awarded him with the “Grand Order of Mugunghwa”, the country’s highest decoration, the presidential office said, Reuters reports. Trump landed in South Korea on the final leg of a trip through Asia that also saw stops in Malaysia and…
French Foreign Legion assault troops, stationed in Poland’s border regions, are gearing up to be redeployed to central Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Intelligence service (SVR) stated. The General Staff of the French armed forces, on the orders of French President Emmanuel Macron, is preparing to deploy a military contingent of up to 2,000 soldiers and…
Reuters. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a deal on Monday (October 27) in which Turkey bought 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets for 8 billion pounds ($10.7 billion), his office said, deepening the NATO allies’ defence ties and bolstering Turkish air defences. In July, Turkey and Britain had signed a preliminary purchase deal for 40…
In today’s remote session, the Government of Montenegro decided to temporarily suspend the visa-free regime for Turkish citizens. According to the official explanation, the measure is temporary and aims to review and strengthen mechanisms for monitoring the entry and stay of foreign nationals as quickly as possible. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić had announced this…
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Monday that her country would begin shooting down smuggler balloons crossing the country’s border with Belarus, Reuters reports. These balloons have repeatedly disrupted the air traffic of this Baltic country. NATO member Lithuania closed Vilnius airport four times last week after balloons invaded its airspace, and each…
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission said the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing was focused and productive. “Pressure remains the only language Russia understands, and coordinated sanctions with our allies and friends are key to bringing Putin to the negotiating table. We discussed urgent energy support as winter…
Reuters. Thailand Queen Mother Sirikit, the mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has died at aged 93, the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement on Saturday (October 25). Queen Mother Sirikit has been hospitalized since September 7, 2019, due to several illnesses and developed a bloodstream infection on October 17 before passing away peacefully…
Reuters. Chinese state oil majors have suspended purchases of seaborne Russian oil after the United States imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Moscow’s two biggest oil companies, multiple trade sources said on Thursday. The move comes as refiners in India, the largest buyer of seaborne Russian oil, are set to sharply cut their crude…
Reuters. Hungary is working to find a way to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday (October 24), without giving details but giving no indication that he planned to defy the restrictions. U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Hungarian leader, on Wednesday imposed sanctions…
Reuters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday (October 23) that Ukraine should be able to use Russia’s frozen assets for domestic weapons production and to purchase European and U.S. weapons. The president’s comments came as European Union leaders gathered at a summit in Brussels are set to agree in principle to finance Ukraine…
