In change, U.S. describes East Jerusalem Palestinians as ‘Arab residents’
The U.S. State Department changed its standard description of East Jerusalem Palestinians from “Palestinian residents” of the city to “Arab residents” or “non-Israeli citizens” in an annual global human rights report released on Wednesday.
U.N. court delays Mladic appeals hearing for health reasons
The U.N. court for the former Yugoslavia said on Wednesday the appeals hearing of former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic had been delayed on health grounds.
India cancels all tourist visas, closes Myanmar border as regional coronavirus cases rise
India said on Wednesday it will suspend all tourist visas to the country in a wide-reaching attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as cases across the region continued to rise.
Italian daily coronavirus deaths jump 31% to 827
The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has jumped in the last 24 hours by 196 to 827, a rise of 31%, the Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday, the largest rise in absolute numbers since the contagion came to light on Feb. 21.
Sixteen more years? Russian parliament backs move to keep Putin in power
Constitutional changes allowing Vladimir Putin to run for president again in 2024 sailed through both houses of Russia’s parliament on Wednesday, raising the prospect he could clock up over three decades in the Kremlin.
In Syria’s northwest, medics fear the worst if corona hits crowded camps
In Syria’s northwest, where people uprooted by war are crammed into camps, medics fear the coronavirus would spread widely if it reaches a country with its healthcare system in ruins.
‘The pleas and the screams’: Syrian defector appeals for stronger U.S. measures
A Syrian defector who smuggled thousands of photographs of torture out of the country, helping prompt new U.S. sanctions, pleaded with U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday to enforce tough measures against Syria’s government over atrocities during its civil war…
Greece denies report of secret ‘black site’ for migrants near Turkish border
The Greek government dismissed on Wednesday a report in The New York Times newspaper that it was holding illegal migrants who cross the border from Turkey at a secret “black site” where they are denied access to lawyers and cannot file asylum claims.
Lebanon halts flights, bans entry from countries hit by coronavirus: PM
Lebanon said on Wednesday it will halt all travel to and from Italy, South Korea, China, and Iran to curb coronavirus and gave nationals four days to return from other virus-hit countries before a more sweeping shutdown of flights would take effect.
Afghan government to free 1,500 prisoners; Taliban demands 5,000
The Afghan government said on Wednesday it would free 1,500 Taliban prisoners, while delaying the release of another 3,500 that the militants say must be set free for talks to begin under a peace deal reached with the United States.
