Libya’s neighbors meet in Algeria seeking stronger truce
Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum told visiting envoys from other countries neighboring Libya on Thursday that he hoped their meeting would strengthen a fragile truce in the country and help avert more foreign influence there.
Main Irish opposition rules out grand coalition with PM’s party
Ireland’s main opposition party Fianna Fail, leading in opinion polls, on Thursday ruled out forming a grand coalition with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael after the Feb. 8 election.
China orders ‘unprecedented’ lockdown of two cities at virus epicenter
China on Thursday locked down two cities at the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak that has killed 17 people and infected nearly 600, as health authorities around the world took action to prevent a global pandemic.
Norway PM to appoint lawmaker Bru as oil minister: media
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg will appoint Conservative lawmaker Tina Bru as oil and energy minister, business daily Dagens Naeringsliv and public broadcaster NRK reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.
Extradition hearing for WikiLeaks’ Assange to be split in two parts
The London hearing to decide whether WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the United States to face charges including spying will be split in two, with the second half delayed until May, a judge ruled on Thursday.
Beijing cancels New Year events to curb virus spread: Beijing News
China’s capital city Beijing canceled major public events including two well-known Lunar New Year temple fairs, the state-run Beijing News said on Thursday, as authorities try to curb the spread of a deadly coronavirus outbreak.
U.S. bars Iranians from trade and investment visas
The United States, locked in a tense confrontation with Iran in the Middle East, has barred Iranians from entering the country on trade and investment visas from Thursday.
Cobblestones commemorating murdered Jews turn a new corner
A German artist who is laying bronze-capped cobblestones commemorating members of families who were deported and killed by the Nazis says he can never honor all the victims of Hitler’s atrocities, but he is going to press ahead anyway.
Political manipulation seen behind Lebanon violent protests: U.N. official
Violence by some protesters in the Lebanese capital Beirut appears to be politically driven to undermine security and stability, a senior United Nations official said on Thursday.
Manager of Sonangol account in Portuguese bank found dead in Lisbon: report
The director of private banking at small Portuguese lender Eurobic and manager of Angola’s oil firm Sonangol’s account at the bank, Nuno Ribeiro da Cunha, was found dead at his house in Lisbon on Wednesday, Lusa news agency said on Thursday, citing a p…
