UNRWA chief appeals for Palestinian refugee funds after US cut
JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) – The head of the U.N. agency that provides aid to Palestinian refugees appealed on Wednesday for world donations after the United States withheld about half its planned funding for the organization, a move he said risks instab…
EU is not at war with Poland, says EU’s Juncker
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union is not at war with Poland and is not set on sanctioning the country “come what may”, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday.
‘Bookkeeper of Auschwitz’s’ plea for mercy rejected – German media
BERLIN (Reuters) – A plea for clemency from a 96-year-old German convicted over his role in the murders of 300,000 people at the Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland has been rejected, German media cited prosecutors as saying on Wednesday.
France would ‘look with kindess’ on UK Brexit change of mind – Macron adviser
PARIS (Reuters) – France would “look with kindness” on a decision by Britain to reverse the course of Brexit and remain in the European Union, an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.
Czech government agrees to resign after losing confidence vote
PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis agreed to resign on Wednesday after the minority cabinet lost a confidence vote a day earlier.
As Trump heads to Davos, survey points to rising risk of war
BERLIN (Reuters) – The risk of political and economic confrontations between major powers, including outright military conflicts, has risen sharply, according to a survey released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) days before its annual gathering in Da…
Arson attack rips through office of Russian human rights group
MOSCOW (Reuters) – One of Russia’s biggest human rights groups said on Wednesday that one of its offices in southern Russia had been badly damaged in an overnight arson attack, an incident it said was part of a campaign to drive it from the region.
Amid tension, China carrier group sails through Taiwan Strait
TAIPEI (Reuters) – A Chinese carrier group has sailed through the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the self-ruled island from its giant neighbor but no unusual activity was detected, Taiwan said on Wednesday, amid heightened tension with Beijing.
North Korea to send cheerleaders to Olympics but Japan sees little to applaud
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea will send a 230-strong cheering squad to the Winter Olympics in the South next month, Seoul said on Wednesday after both sides held talks amid a thaw in inter-Korean ties and as Japan urged caution over the North’s “charm …
Future of Catalonia unclear as its parliament meets for first time since election
MADRID (Reuters) – The Catalan parliament will meet on Wednesday in a first step toward forming a local government after December’s elections but questions remain over whether the wealthy northeastern region will continue to push for a split from Spain…
