WHO: ‘Don’t Celebrate Christmas As Omicron Strikes’
The World Health Organization (WHO) has effectively urged Christians planning to celebrate Christmas and other religious groups to cancel their holiday plans citing rising Omicron infections.
EU
Russia’s Putin says NATO, West to blame for surging tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday the U.S. and its allies, not the Kremlin, are to blame for rising tensions in Europe that have revived talk of war.
Cuba: European Parliament mentions imprisoned Christian pastor in resolution denouncing Cuban “systemic” rights abuses
The European Parliament named Christian pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo among other prisoners in an urgent resolution it passed last week to denounce “systematic abuses” by Cuba’s government against citizens, Evangelical Focus (EF) reports.
UK Supreme Court denies request to add ‘X’ gender option to passports
The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court has rejected the request of a “non-gendered” activist to establish a third gender option on British passports for those who do not identify as male or female.
‘Threat Posed By Iran’ High On Agenda As U.S. National-Security Adviser Travels To Israel For Talks
U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan will visit Israel this week for discussions likely to be dominated by a perceived threat from Iran amid U.S. concerns that the time Tehran would need to develop a nuclear weapon has become “unacceptably short.”
European powers warn Iran nuclear talks ‘reaching end of road’
European diplomats in talks to save the Iran nuclear deal said Friday that “some technical progress” had been made but warned they were “rapidly reaching the end of the road.”
UN General Assembly Condemned Israel 14 Times in 2021, Only 5 Times for the Rest of World Combined
The UN General Assembly condemned Israel on Friday in two separate resolutions, concluding the world body’s 2021 legislation with a total of 14 resolutions that single out the Jewish state, and five for the rest of the world combined.
Netherlands In Tough Lockdown As Europe Struggles With Omicron
The Netherlands’ government announced Europe’s toughest Christmas season lockdown Saturday as nations across the continent tried to halt massive COVID-19 infections spurred by the Omicron variant.
Iran Says IAEA Won’t See Images From Reinstalled Cameras At Nuclear Site Until Sanctions Are Lifted
One day after Iran agreed to reinstall surveillance cameras at one of its nuclear facilities, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said that the UN’s atomic watchdog will not be able to examine images from the cameras until sanctions are lifted.
Russia’s Putin Goes To China’s Winter Games Despite Genocide Reports
Russian president Vladimir Putin has pledged to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing as he seeks closer ties with China at a time tensions with the West.
Migrants Van Crash Kills 7 In Hungary
Hungarian police have detained the driver of a van carrying illegal migrants after it crashed in southern Hungary, killing seven people and injuring four others, Worthy News learned Wednesday.
Blinken: US ready to move forward with sale of F-35s, drones to UAE
The United States is prepared to move forward with the sale of F-35 fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, after reports that the UAE intended to suspend discussions of the deal.
WHO Warns Omicron Could Overwhelm World
The chief of the World Health Organization says the new coronavirus variant Omicron could overwhelm hospitals worldwide.
Holland to have new coalition government after months of deadlock
The Netherlands is finally set to have a new governing coalition made up of four Dutch parties, including incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s VVD party, after the March general election resulted in months of gridlocked negotiations between the country’s many political parties, DW reports. Rutte, who will become Europe’s longest-serving Prime Minister, led the country in a caretaker capacity during the intervening months since the election.
Belarus Jails Opposition Leader For Challenging President Lukashenko
A court in Belarus has sentenced an opposition leader who wanted to run against the country’s autocratic President Alexander Lukashenko in elections to 18 years imprisonment.
European Powers Warn Iran Nuclear Talks Nearing ‘End Of The Road’
Three European powers said on December 14 that talks with Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear deal are “rapidly reaching the end of the road,” while Tehran accused Western powers of playing a “blame game.”
Putin makes repeated calls for ‘immediate’ NATO talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday stepped up private and public calls on Western leaders to end the eastward expansion of NATO. In phone conversations with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and then later with French President Emmanuel Macron, Putin called for “immediate” negotiations with NATO and the US.
Russia Must Pay To Woman With Cut Of Hands, Europe Court Says
Europe’s top rights court days Russia must compensate a woman whose hands were cut off by her husband amid concerns about domestic violence in the country.
Danish Ex-Minister Jailed For Anti-Child Marriage Campaign
A former Danish immigration minister has been sentenced to prison for “illegally” separating young asylum-seeking couples as part of her self-declared campaign against child marriage.
Thousands Hiding For La Palma’s Volcano Gas
Tens of thousands of people on Spain’s troubled island of La Palma faced uncertainty Tuesday after authorities watched toxic gases from an ongoing volcano eruption.