Georgia and Russia trade blame over unrest as crisis brews
Georgia and Russia traded blame on Friday for an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi sparked by the visit of a Russian lawmaker with the Kremlin announcing it would suspend passenger flights between the two countries to protect its citizens.
U.S. ramps up returns of asylum seekers to Mexico, adding Cubans
The United States is more than doubling the number of asylum seekers it returns to Mexico in one city and adding groups like Cubans as it rapidly expands a policy to make migrants wait out claims south of the border, Mexican and U.S. officials said.
Putin orders suspension of passenger flights from Russia to Georgia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has temporarily banned passenger flights from Russia to Georgia, the Kremlin said on Friday following an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi triggered by the visit of a Russian lawmaker.
U.S. to kick off migrant crackdown on Sunday: Washington Post
U.S. immigration authorities plan to launch on Sunday a sweeping effort to deport recently arrived families who are in the United States illegally, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing three unnamed U.S. officials.
Malawi leader vows to lift economy as protests continue
Malawi’s economy will grow 5% in 2019, President Peter Mutharika promised on Friday, in a state of the nation address boycotted by the opposition who again clashed with police in more protests against a recent vote.
U.S. imposes sanctions on four high-ranking Nicaraguan officials
The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on four high-ranking Nicaraguan government officials for allegedly preventing their country’s citizens from exercising fundamental freedoms.
Pompeo to seek stronger strategic ties with India despite trade tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek to further strengthen strategic ties with India during a visit next week despite increasing frictions over trade, data flows and arms from Russia, officials said.
Spain’s ‘Wolf Pack’ found guilty of rape in landmark ruling
Spain’s Supreme Court on Friday ruled that five men who attacked a teenager at a bull-running festival were guilty of rape not the lesser crime of sexual abuse, concluding a case that sparked mass protests across Spain over chauvinism and sexual abuse….
Pence puts off China speech sequel ahead of Trump-Xi talks
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Friday called off a planned China speech that had been cast as a sequel to a blistering broadside he delivered in October to avoid exacerbating tensions with Beijing before summit talks next week, a White House officia…
U.N. rights chief Bachelet to leave monitors in Venezuela after visit
U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who was wrapping up an official visit to Venezuela on Friday, will leave two delegates behind to monitor the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis, opposition leader Juan Guaido said.
