Brazil fires official after comments on illegal Amazon mining fight
A regional head of Brazil’s environmental authority was fired on Wednesday, a week after being named, after he made public comments saying he would no longer burn machinery, some of it seized from illegal miners, in an area heavily affected by forest f…
Spain’s Sanchez, Podemos suggest more talks to avoid looming election
Spain’s acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez and the leader of far-left Unidas Podemos both suggested on Wednesday trying to revive talks to avoid a new election, a day after the four-month-old negotiations reached a stalemate.
Mugabe’s body brought home to Zimbabwe, burial place still a mystery
The body of Zimbabwe’s founder Robert Mugabe arrived at the country’s main airport on Wednesday, but his final resting place remained a source of mystery amid a dispute between some family members and the government.
UK police confident Heathrow climate protest will not bring chaos
British police said they were confident an attempt by climate change activists to disrupt London’s Heathrow airport with toy drones from Friday would not lead to a repeat of the chaos seen at Gatwick last December.
France warns Britain against seeking bilateral Brexit deals with EU countries
France warned Britain on Wednesday against trying to bypass the European Commission in Brexit negotiations by seeking “mini deals” bilaterally with individual EU countries.
South Korea asks IOC to ban Japan’s use of ‘Rising Sun’ flag at Olympics
South Korea has asked the International Olympic Committee to bar Japan from using the “Rising Sun” flag at next year’s Games, Seoul’s sports ministry said on Wednesday, as the Asian neighbours engage in an ever more rancorous feud over history and trad…
‘You will never break our will,’ Palestinians tell Netanyahu after Jordan Valley annexation pledge
Palestinians tilling the fertile Jordan Valley said on Wednesday they have been rooted for generations to the West Bank land that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to annex, and they vowed never to give it up.
Thousands pray for rain in Indonesia as forests go up in smoke
Thousands of Indonesians prayed for rain in haze-hit towns on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo on Wednesday, as forest fires raged at the height of the dry season, the state Antara news agency reported.
Europe orders urgent Airbus helicopter checks after Norway crash
European regulators have ordered immediate checks on recently delivered versions of some Airbus helicopters after a crash in Arctic Norway last month killed five Norwegians and their Swedish pilot.
China summons German envoy to foreign ministry over Hong Kong activist
A meeting between Germany’s foreign minister and Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong sent very negative signals for bilateral relations, China’s ambassador to Germany said on Wednesday, adding that the foreign ministry in Beijing had summoned the German am…
