US bans anonymous shell companies, passing ‘historic’ anti-corruption legislation
The United States banned anonymous shell companies through the defense bill vetoed by President Trump last month but passed in Congress on Friday.
EU
Iran to enrich uranium to 20% as anniversary of Soleimani killing approaches
Iran announced a day before the one-year anniversary of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani’s death that it is planning to enrich uranium to 20% in an apparent violation of the nuclear deal.
Russian pipeline bypassing Ukraine advances
A major new Russian pipeline designed to bypass Ukraine to supply southeastern Europe got a major symbolic boost on New Year’s Day as Serbian President Alexandar Vucic officially proclaimed the first nearly 250 miles of the Balkan Stream natural gas pipeline to be open for business.
Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan resume Nile dam talks
The three African nations at the center of a spat over the controversial building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam resumed talks on Sunday, officials said.
Islamist Militants Kill Dozens In Niger
Suspected Islamist militants have killed scores of people in simultaneous attacks on two villages in Niger, near the border with Mali, security officials said.
China Jails Christian Journalist For COVID-19 Investigations
China faces international pressure for sentencing an independent Christian journalist to four-year imprisonment over her coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan city. Zhang Zhan, 37, reportedly saw it as “God’s will’ to be among the few people whose firsthand accounts from crowded hospitals and empty streets painted a more gloomy picture of the COVID-19 epicenter than the official narrative.
Bosnian Army Offering Tents For Desperate Refugees
There was a glimmer of hope Saturday for some 1,000 freezing people stuck in a burned-out refugee camp in Bosnia after the army began placing tents to fend freezing winter weather.
U.S. Congress Overrides Trump‘s Defense Veto
The U.S. Congress has overturned President Donald J. Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by legislators since he took office nearly four years ago.
More Fatal Plane Crashes Despite Drop in Flights
More people were killed in plane crashes last year than in 2019 despite a massive drop in fights due to the coronavirus pandemic, a Dutch aviation consultancy firm says.
EU-China Investment Deal Threatens US-Europe Relations
Just weeks before taking office, the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Joe Biden has received an unwelcome housewarming gift from the European Union in the form of a wide-ranging investment treaty agreed to in principle between the EU and China.
UK Ratifies Brexit Deal as Leaders Sign New Chapter
Britain and the EU signed a post-Brexit trade deal Wednesday, sealing their drawn-out divorce in the closing hours before the UK definitively ends its half-century European experiment.
Britain, Turkey reach post-Brexit free trade agreement
Turkey and Britain signed a free-trade agreement Tuesday as the U.K. prepares to leave the European Union’s economic orbit at the start of the new year.
Trump administration strengthens order barring US investment into Chinese firms
The Trump administration on Monday strengthened an executive order barring U.S. investors from buying securities of alleged Chinese military-controlled companies, following disagreement among U.S. agencies about how tough to make the directive.
Croatia Quake Kills 7, Impacts 12 Nations
A desperate search for survivors continues in central Croatia after a massive earthquake killed seven people, injured dozens, and shook neighboring nations.
Spain To Share Vaccination Refusal Registry With EU
Spain’s government has warned citizens that it will set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and share it with other European Union member states.
Hungary Receives Thousands Of Russian COVID Vaccines
Hungary confirmed Monday that it received thousands of doses of Russia’s controversial COVID-19 vaccine despite European Union concerns.
CDC: COVID Shot Cause Thousands To Have ‘Health Impact Events’
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says thousands of people have suffered ‘health impact events’ as a result of coronavirus vaccinations.
Portugal will move embassy to Jerusalem if it is the capital of two states
Portugal’s Foreign Minister Santos Silva has stated his country will move its embassy to Jerusalem if the city becomes the capital of both Israel and a Palestinian state, All Israel News (AIN) reports. Silva made his statement in an interview with the Jerusalem Post Monday, during a two-day official visit to Israel.
Hungary Rushes As EU Nations Receive COVID Vaccines
Hungary rushed to be the first European Union state to vaccinate people against the coronavirus, amid a rising death toll. Besides Hungary, batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 jab arrived across the EU as authorities prepared to administer the first shots to the most vulnerable people.
Inventor COVID-Vaccine Wasn’t In Hurry To Take Jab
The co-inventor of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19, and many Americans have one thing in common: they aren’t in a hurry to take the vaccine.