French far-right activists get six months in jail for chasing migrants
Three members of a French far-right group were sentenced six months in jail on Thursday after having tried to bar migrants from entering the country at the Franco-Italian border last year.
Israel says Iran boosting effort to set up Hezbollah precision-missile plants in Lebanon
Israel accused Iran on Thursday of stepping up efforts to provide its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon with precision-guided missile production facilities, a veiled warning to Beirut that Israeli counter-strikes could escalate.
Trump: U.S. will maintain presence in Afghanistan even if deal reached with Taliban
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan were being reduced to 8,600 but that American forces would remain in the country even if Washington reaches an agreement with the Taliban to end the 18-year war.
Ukrainian parliament appoints Honcharuk as new prime minister
Ukraine’s parliament appointed Oleksiy Honcharuk – a 35-year-old lawyer with little political experience – as prime minister on Thursday.
After euphoria and anxiety, Germans turn pragmatic on immigration -study
Germans are broadly positive towards immigration and think it benefits the country, a survey showed, suggesting the often extreme reactions triggered by the arrival of a million-plus refugees there in 2015 have given way to a calmer view.
Sierra Leoneans sue government for alleged environmental failings at diamond mine
Sierra Leoneans living next to the country’s largest diamond mine are taking their government to West Africa’s regional court for failing to protect them from alleged environmental lapses by the company that runs it, a subsidiary of Octea Limited
Wakeboarder, wrestler, dentist: novices of Ukraine’s new ruling party take over parliament
A wakeboarder, a wrestler and a dentist were among 254 lawmakers from President Volodymyr’s party who took up their seats as the new majority in the Ukrainian parliament on Thursday — not one of whom has ever worked there before.
UK opposition leader Corbyn to try on Tuesday to stop parliament shutdown
British Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said politicians would try to stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s planned extended shutdown of parliament as soon as they returned to Westminster after their summer break.
Italy’s president gives Conte green light to form new government
Italy’s president asked Giuseppe Conte to head up a coalition of the 5-Star Movement and opposition Democratic Party (PD) on Thursday, a move could that could improve Italy’s fractious relations with the European Union.
New Italian coalition allies have mutual foe, but little else in common
The ancient adage ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’ has been a staple of pragmatic statecraft throughout history and it will be the cornerstone of a new Italian coalition that looks set to take office next week.
