Brazil lawmakers urge Congress to shelve indigenous mining bill
Opposition lawmakers called on Brazil’s Congress on Thursday to reject a proposal by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro to open indigenous reservations to commercial mining, saying it endangered some of the world’s most isolated forest inhabitants.
Polish PM seeks visit to Russia for plane crash and Katyn anniversaries
Poland’s prime minister said he wants to visit Russia to commemorate the victims of a World War Two massacre and 2010 plane crash, amid heightened tensions with Moscow after recent comments by Vladimir Putin about Poland’s historical role.
Former UK finance minister Javid says he could not accept Johnson’s demands
Former British finance minister Sajid Javid said on Thursday he had resigned because no self-respecting minister would accept Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s demands to fire his political advisers.
‘There will be dad and mum’: Putin rules out Russia legalizing gay marriage
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia would not legalize gay marriage as long as he was in the Kremlin.
Pompeo says ‘important breakthrough’ made in U.S. talks with Taliban
There has been a ‘pretty important break through’ over the past few days in talks between the United States and the Taliban who have been negotiating for a peace agreement in Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday.
Libya reopens Tripoli’s Mitiga airport after hours of closure
The only functioning airport in Libya’s capital Tripoli reopened on Thursday following more than three hours of closure after missiles were fired towards it, causing chaos and fear among passengers, airport authorities said.
Saudi minister denies any plans for crown prince to meet Israeli PM
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Thursday denied media reports of a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid speculation about normalizing ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
Turkey says it will hit groups violating Idlib ceasefire
Turkey will use force against rebel groups violating a ceasefire in Syria’s northwest Idlib region, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday, in an apparent response to Russian criticism.
Coronavirus not spreading ‘dramatically’ outside China except on cruise ship: WHO
Cases of coronavirus are not rising dramatically outside China apart from passengers on a cruise liner now quarantined off a Japanese port, a senior World Health Organization official said on Thursday.
Say it with sanitiser: Beijing florist takes on coronavirus for Valentine’s Day
It’s the eve of Valentine’s Day and flower seller Cai Xiaoman is enclosing a special gift – a small bottle of hand sanitiser to ward off coronavirus – as she sends out her last few bouquets to customers in Beijing.
