A United Nations investigator voiced concern about human rights being sidelined during U.S. and South Korean talks with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, warning on Tuesday: look at what happened in Myanmar. Tomas Ojea Quintana is the U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea, who reports on ... Read More »
EU rejects Italian draft budget, setting up standoff with defiant Italy
The European Commission rejected Italy’s draft 2019 budget on Tuesday, saying it brazenly broke EU rules on public spending, and asked Rome to submit a new one within three weeks or face disciplinary action. Italian bond yields jumped on the unprecedented move by the EU executive which was exerting for ... Read More »
UK PM May to address her lawmakers after attacks over Brexit
British Prime Minister Theresa May will address Conservative Party lawmakers at a private meeting in parliament on Wednesday after anger at her Brexit negotiating strategy prompted some of them to discuss toppling her. May asked to address her divided party’s powerful “1922 Committee” where she can expect questions from lawmakers, ... Read More »
Russia pledges ‘balance’ if U.S. quits nuclear pact; Trump eyes more weapons
Russia said on Monday it would be forced to respond in kind to restore the military balance with the United States if President Donald Trump carried through on a threat to quit a nuclear arms treaty and began developing new missiles. But Moscow signaled it may be willing to give ... Read More »
Trump’s missile treaty pullout could escalate tension with China
A U.S. withdrawal from a Cold War-era nuclear arms treaty with Russia could give the Pentagon new options to counter Chinese missile advances but experts warn the ensuing arms race could greatly escalate tensions in the Asia-Pacific. U.S. officials have been warning for years that the United States was being ... Read More »
Saudi King, Crown Prince Phone Jamal Khashoggi’s Son, Condole His Death
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in an interview with US television channel Fox on the same day that Prince Mohammed had no knowledge of Khashoggi’s death. The King of Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince sent their condolences to a son of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist ... Read More »
EU withdrawal deal is 95% settled, Theresa May to tell Commons
Prime minister takes unusual step of briefing planned Brexit remarks to MPs in advance Theresa May will tell the Commons on Monday that 95% of the Brexit withdrawal agreement and its protocols are settled as she seeks to demonstrate to anxious MPs in her own party that she is making ... Read More »
Gorbachev says US making ‘mistake’ by quitting Russia nuclear treaty
Former Russian leader weighs in Donald Trump’s decision Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has said he thinks Donald Trump is making a “mistake” by leaving its nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. Mr Gorbachev was one of the original signatories to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed originally in 1987 ... Read More »
Canada becomes second country and largest economy to legalise marijuana
Residents can now possess and share up to 30 grams of the drug in public Canada has embarked on one of its most ambitious public and economic experiments in decades, with adults now able to buy marijuana legally. Canadians in Newfoundland in the east were the first to have legal ... Read More »
On eve of meeting pope, South Korean president speaks of peace hopes
South Korea’s president spoke of “heart-warming” moves toward peace on the Korean peninsula on Wednesday, a day before he is expected to relay an invitation to Pope Francis to visit North Korea. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the number two in the Vatican, said a Mass in St. Peter’s ... Read More »