World News
EU defends plan to expand Taiwan relations ‘without recognition of statehood’
The European Union defended plans to expand its relationship with Taiwan – though “without any recognition of statehood” – on Tuesday during the first top-level meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the EU‘s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, in more than a year.The statement by Borrell came amid a deepening row between Lithuania and China, over Lithuania’s decision to allow a “Taiwanese Representative Office” in Vilnius – a departure from the typical European designation of “Taipei…
Barack Obama hopes new library and museum campus will transform Chicago’s South Side
Ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s groundbreaking for the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago’s Jackson Park, the former president reiterated the project’s potential to transform the South Side, with the same idealistic fire that catalysed his own career in public service years ago.His pitch comes despite an enduring legal battle against his use of parkland and as local activists planned a protest outside the future site of the presidential centre to call for more affordable housing protections.“We…
US commerce chief says Chinese government is blocking purchases of US-manufactured planes
United States Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Tuesday the Chinese government is preventing its domestic airlines from buying “tens of billions of dollars” of US-manufactured planes.Raimondo said China was not abiding by commitments to buy US goods it made in 2020 as part of a trade deal made with the previous administration.“I don’t know if Boeing is here. … There’s tens of billions of dollars of planes that Chinese airlines want to buy but the Chinese government is standing in the way…
Prince Andrew acknowledges court papers in US sexual assault claims
The Duke of York has acknowledged he has been served with a lawsuit from a woman who claims he assaulted her, US officials have said.Virginia Giuffre is seeking damages after alleging that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was under 18. He vehemently denies the allegations.They are part of a civil claim which is being brought through the US courts.Tuesday's acknowledgement was confirmed in a joint agreement which was signed by Andrew's lawyer and approved by a Manhattan federal…
WHO workers in Democratic Republic of Congo accused of sexual abuse during Ebola outbreak
Twenty-one workers for the World Health Organization in Democratic Republic of Congo have been accused of sexually abusing people during an Ebola outbreak, a WHO-commissioned panel said on Tuesday in a report that identified 83 alleged perpetrators connected to the 2018-2020 mission.The panel released its findings months after an Associated Press investigation found senior WHO management was informed of multiple abuse claims in 2019 but failed to stop the harassment and even promoted one of the…
Police suspect foul play after explosion at block of flats in Sweden
A powerful explosion rocked a block of flats early on Tuesday in Gothenburg, Sweden, injuring up to 20 people, setting off multiple fires and forcing the evacuation of hundreds. Police said they suspect the blast may have been caused by an explosive device.The explosion took place just before 5am local time in the Annedal district in central Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city. Fires spread to several flats, and fire department crews were still working to extinguish the flames midmorning…
Survivors of 2015 Paris attacks relive horror in trial testimony
Survivors of the November 2015 Paris attacks began testifying at a historic trial on Tuesday, facing the ordeal of reliving that night of horror in the presence of more than a dozen accused in court.One by one over the coming weeks, 300 survivors as well as family members of the victims of the murderous assault are to take the stand.The suicide bombing and gun assaults by three teams of jihadists on bars, restaurants, the Bataclan concert hall and the national stadium – planned in Syria and…