South Korea, U.S. Demand Iran Release Tanker Seized In Strait Of Hormuz
South Korea and the United States have demanded the release of a South Korean-flagged oil tanker seized by Iranian authorities in the Strait of Hormuz.
Europe
German Police Raid Church Service Amid Europe Crackdown
German police stormed a church service as pressure mounts on Europe’s devoted Christians to stop gathering or accept government rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Britain, EU Sign Christmas Trade Deal
Britian and the European Union avoided a messy divorce on Christmas Eve as they agreed on a trade deal worth nearly $1 trillion.
Migrants Face Bleak Christmas After Bosnia Camp Fire
Hundreds of migrants fleeing hardship faced a bleak Christmas without shelter amid harsh winter conditions after a refugee camp was closed and set on fire in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Israel: Biotech students develop way to prevent spoiling of fruit juice
Biotechnology students in Israel have found a way to prevent fruit juice from spoiling: they harnessed and applied a strain of bacteria that is found in the natural environment, Israel 365 News reported Wednesday. The finding was made by a team of students from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, and earned them first prize in a competition held by the European food consortium EIT Food.
EU and Britain Near Trade Deal, EU Sources Say
European Union and British negotiators are nearing a trade deal as Britain’s New Year’s Day exit from the 27-nation bloc approaches, EU officials said Wednesday.