French environment minister under fire over lobster dinners
France’s environment minister was fighting for survival in government on Thursday after pictures showed he hosted lavish dinners of lobster and expensive wines when parliament speaker.
U.S. sanctions Venezuela counterintelligence agency after death of navy captain
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions against Venezuela’s military counterintelligence agency following the death in custody of a navy captain amid allegations of torture.
Venezuela talks with opposition conclude in Barbados, no deal announced
Talks between Venezuela’s government and the opposition about how to address the country’s political crisis concluded on Wednesday with no announcement of a deal.
Three killed as car bomb targets funeral in Libya’s Benghazi: sources
At least three people were killed and 15 wounded when a car bomb hit a funeral of former senior military commander in the east Libyan city of Benghazi, medical and military sources said.
I take care of my health, says Merkel after several shaking episodes
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she knows she must look after her health, offering reassurance on Thursday after three bouts of shaking on previous public occasions raised questions about her condition.
Merkel sits rather than stands at public ceremony, following shaking bouts
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat down rather than standing at a public ceremony on Thursday, a day after a third bout of shaking in three weeks raised concerns over her condition, but said she was taking care of her health.
Merkel says German coalition discord over EU top job ‘is not easy’
Opposition by Germany’s Social Democrats, junior partners in the ruling coalition, to the nomination of conservative Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission chief is making governing difficult, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.
Argentine President Macri picked in poll to narrowly win re-election
Argentine President Mauricio Macri is predicted to narrowly win re-election against his main challenger, Peronist candidate Alberto Fernandez, according to a new poll published on Thursday.
Slovakia’s new president calls on EU’s eastern bloc to respect rule of law
Slovakia’s new president called on the Visegrad group of eastern EU member states on Thursday to protect the rule of law to avoid being seen as “weakening the European Union”, signaling a possible rift within a bloc that often acts together.
Hezbollah: New sanctions widen U.S. assault on Lebanon
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Thursday that new U.S. sanctions against three of its officials, including two MPs, have widened Washington’s assault on Lebanon.
