EU leaders may toughen climate goal for 2050, haggle over top jobs
The EU’s 28 national leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday are likely to embrace a more ambitious stance on fighting climate change but haggle over who should steer the bloc, including its monetary policy, in coming years.
Russia starts freeing captive whales after outcry – state TV
Russia has begun releasing a group of almost 100 captive whales into the wild whose detention in Russia’s Far East since last year has caused an international outcry, state TV said on Thursday.
Turkey jails ex-air force commander for life in coup case: DHA
A Turkish court on Thursday sentenced 17 people, including a former air force commander, to life in prison for involvement in a 2016 coup attempt, the private Demiroren news agency reported.
Sudan’s military council dismisses public prosecutor, appoints replacement: sources
Sudan’s military council on Thursday dismissed public prosecutor Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed Mahmoud and appointed Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah to succeed him, prosecution sources told Reuters.
Putin: Fate of captured Ukrainian sailors must be tied to jailed Russians
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the fate of 24 Ukrainian sailors held in Russia since last year must be linked to the release of Russian citizens held in Ukraine whom Moscow wants to see freed.
U.S. military says Iran shoot down of its drone was ‘unprovoked attack’
The U.S. military confirmed on Thursday that one of its drones was shot down but said the incident took place in international airspace, challenging Iran’s account that the U.S. aircraft had been flying over Iranian territory.
In rebuff to Trump, Palestinian businesses call for freedom, not cash
Palestinian businessmen boycotting the Trump administration’s Bahrain workshop designed to encourage investment in the territories say only a diplomatic path to statehood can end decades of conflict with Israel.
China’s Xi says hopes North Korea, U.S. can keep talking
Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday that he hopes North Korea and the United States can keep talking and make progress, Chinese state media reported after the two men met in Pyongyang.
Hong Kong lets protesters’ deadline to scrap extradition bill pass, setting stage for further demos
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam appeared to ignore a Thursday deadline set by some protesters to withdraw an extradition bill that she promoted then postponed, setting the stage for a new wave of demonstrations in the Chinese-ruled city.
Britain broke the law on Saudi arms exports, court rules
Britain broke the law by allowing arms sales to Saudi Arabia that might have been used in Yemen’s war, a court ruled, after activists said there was a clear risk the weapons could be operated in violation of human rights legislation.
