A British judge on Wednesday sentenced Islamic State group follower Ali Harbi Ali to a whole-life prison term for murdering lawmaker David Amess in a knife attack last year. “This is a murder that struck at the heart of democracy,” judge Nigel Sweeney said as he handed down his sentence at London’s Old Bailey courthouse, … Read more
Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday announced they had captured a prominent pro-Kremlin tycoon who escaped from house arrest after Russia’s invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a picture online of a disheveled-looking Viktor Medvedchuk with his hands in cuffs and dressed in a Ukrainian army uniform. “A special operation was carried out by the Security Service of … Read more
A Malian army helicopter fired couple of rockets “close to” British members of a UN peacekeeping force in the country, the UK defense ministry said Tuesday. “We are aware of a recent incident in Mali in which rockets were fired by a Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) helicopter close to a detachment of UK personnel,” a … Read more
France’s presidential fight shifted into higher gear Tuesday as Emmanuel Macron defended his sudden softening of pension reforms he has pushed for years, facing accusations of a “ploy” to lure left-leaning voters from his far-right rival. Both Macron and rival Marine Le Pen pressed their on-the-ground campaigns in bids to woo wavering voters. Macron held … Read more
Fresh clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants rocked the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as a Palestinian was killed after stabbing an Israeli police officer, adding to a surging death toll. Israeli troops launched a fourth day of military operations around Jenin after an assailant from the flashpoint district last week shot … Read more
“Pirates of the Caribbean” star Johnny Depp physically and sexually abused his then-wife Amber Heard during drug- and alcohol-fueled binges in which he became a “monster,” her lawyers told a court on Tuesday. Depp’s attorneys countered on the opening day of his blockbuster defamation case against Heard that the allegations were untrue and have had … Read more
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal were advancing but urged officials not to place all bets on the Vienna talks. “Work is progressing well in the negotiations,” Khamenei told Iranian officials including President Ebrahim Raisi. “Do not stop your work to wait for the results … Read more
Natural gas giant Algeria has agreed to boost deliveries to Italy as European countries seek to reduce their reliance on Russian imports over the Ukraine war. But experts say the North African country, despite its vast natural gas reserves, is already exporting at close to full capacity. Can Algeria meet its latest commitments? Algeria possesses … Read more
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday that the Central American country has arrested more than 10,000 suspected gang members as part of a recent push to drive down violent crime. Bukele announced a state of emergency at the end of March following a bloody weekend in which 87 people were killed in gang-related … Read more
Mexico must act immediately to tackle an alarming trend of rising enforced disappearances, facilitated by “almost absolute impunity” and in some cases involving public officials, a United Nations committee said Tuesday. “Organized crime has become a central perpetrator of disappearance in Mexico, with varying degrees of participation, acquiescence or omission by public servants,” the UN … Read more
Boeing has removed orders for 141 jets from its backlog, mostly due to sanctions placed on Russia in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, officials from the plane manufacturer said Tuesday. Most of the planes stripped from Boeing’s official tally were 737 models, with about two-thirds coming as “a result of geopolitical events,” a Boeing … Read more
Kazakhstan said Tuesday that it had received a large stake in its national telecoms operator in a “donation” by a detained member of ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev’s once untouchable family. Businessman Kairat Satybaldy last month became the first relative of Nazarbayev to be arrested since political chaos in January appeared to sideline a fabulously wealthy family … Read more
Gunmen have killed over 100 people after ransacking a group of villages in central Nigeria, local sources said, in one of worst attacks this year blamed on heavily armed criminal gangs who terrorize parts of the country. Sunday’s attacks in Plateau State and a high-profile kidnapping raid on a train in neighboring Kaduna State have … Read more
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Tuesday that he had offered to visit Ukraine with other EU leaders, but Kyiv had told him his trip was “not wanted”. The snub comes as Steinmeier, a former foreign minister, is facing criticism at home and abroad for his years-long detente policy towards Moscow, which he has since admitted … Read more
Allegations of domestic abuse levelled against Johnny Depp by Amber Heard have had a “devastating” impact on his career, his lawyers said Tuesday at the opening of the actor’s defamation case against his former wife. “For nearly 30 years, Mr. Depp built a reputation as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood,” his lawyer, … Read more
Manchester City captain Fernandinho shocked manager Pep Guardiola by saying Tuesday he planned to leave the English champions at the end of the season. The 36-year-old former Brazil international, who has won four Premier League titles since joining City from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, revealed his intentions at a pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s … Read more
RB Leipzig on Tuesday revealed they have taken the unusual step of signing Belgian goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt from 2024 on a five-year contract. The 20-year-old will join the Bundesliga club in two years time and will rival Hungary goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, 31, whose Leipzig contract expires in 2025. “(This) allows us to secure a top … Read more
At least 13 people were injured during a rush-hour shooting at a subway station in the New York borough of Brooklyn Tuesday, where authorities said “several undetonated devices” were recovered amid chaotic scenes. Ambulances lined the street outside the 36th Street subway station, where a New York police spokeswoman told AFP officers responded to a … Read more
Ukraine’s border force said Tuesday that more than 870,000 people who fled abroad since the start of the war have returned to the country, including a growing number of women and children. Spokesman Andriy Demchenko said that currently 25,000 to 30,000 Ukrainians are returning each day. He said more women, children and elderly were among … Read more
FIFA Former president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA chief Michel Platini will appear before Swiss prosecutors on charges of fraud between 8-22 June, the criminal court concerned said Tuesday. This will be the final hearing in a long-running saga that began in 2011 and stems from a payment from FIFA to Platini of 2 million … Read more
President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday Moscow will proceed according to plan with military operations in Ukraine as the pro-Western country braces for a major Russian offensive in the east. “Our task is to fulfil and achieve all the goals set, minimizing losses. And we will act rhythmically, calmly, according to the plan originally proposed by … Read more
Stock markets diverged on Tuesday as investors digested official data showing US inflation hit a four-decade high in March, making expectations the Federal Reserve will act more aggressively to tame prices. Meanwhile, Oil prices, surged as Shanghai began to ease Covid restrictions and the OPEC group of crude-producing nations lowered its forecast for global demand … Read more
Asian and European markets were down Tuesday, after a weak lead from Wall Street and with all eyes on key US inflation data due later in the trading day. Tokyo closed down by nearly 2 percent, though Hong Kong was up more than one percent by the end of trade day. Shanghai also posted gains, … Read more
The EU on Tuesday accepted rules allowing medicines made in Britain to go to Northern Ireland, making an exception to a post-Brexit treaty that requires goods sent to the UK province to be EU-compliant. The move is an effort to dampen Brussels-London tensions over Northern Ireland, which will under the EU customs system under the … Read more
British police investigating breaches of Covid-19 lockdown laws by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff in Downing Street said on Tuesday they had issued more than 50 fines. London’s Metropolitan Police announced an initial 20 fines last month, without disclosing the number or identities of those being fined. The announcements have made the so-called … Read more
Four artists commended for their solo exhibitions are competing for the UK’s Turner Prize for contemporary art this year, Tate Britain, which organizes the award, announced on Tuesday. The 2022 shortlist contrasts with last year’s line-up, which for the first time saw five artist collectives vie for the prestigious, but often controversial British visual arts … Read more
The World Trade Organization’s chief said Tuesday that diplomatic tensions over the war in Ukraine were complicating negotiations ahead of the global trade body’s biggest gathering in more than four years. The meeting of ministers from all 164 WTO members, including Russia and Ukraine, has been postponed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “There’s … Read more
Diego Simeone called for critics of Atletico Madrid’s style of play to give more respect ahead of the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City on Wednesday. Atletico were widely lambasted for their ultra-defensive performance at the Etihad Stadium last week, when Simeone’s team failed to muster a single shot as City … Read more
