Author: _wxxv

UN development program names Pakistani a goodwill ambassador

ISLAMABAD –  The United Nations development program has appointed the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest as its goodwill ambassador for the country. A statement issued Monday says Samina Baig will lead efforts to build national awareness and partnerships…

Arsonists destroy Albanian diplomatic vehicle in Greece

THESSALONIKI, Greece –  Greek police say arsonists have destroyed a car with diplomatic plates belonging to the Albanian consulate in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The attack occurred early Monday, police said. Unknown arsonists poured petrol over the parked vehicle,…

Grenade thrown at Greek police station injures passer-by

ATHENS, Greece –  Greek police have confirmed that a hand grenade was thrown overnight at an Athens police station, hours after militants claimed the attack on a far-left website. Police say a taxi driver was lightly injured by the blast,…

4 shot dead in Congo's latest anti-government protests

KINSHASA, Congo –  Organizers of anti-government marches in Congo say security forces shot dead at least four people and wounded dozens more in Sunday's nationwide protest against President Joseph Kabila's extended rule. The Lay Coordination Committee on Monday announced that…

Chinese rights lawyer 'mysteriously' dies in hospital

BEIJING –  A close friend of a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer says the lawyer has "mysteriously" died in a military hospital. Bob Fu, a religious activist who has known Li Baiguang for over a decade, says the government should…

Romanian anti-graft prosecutor called to answer charges

BUCHAREST, Romania –  Romania's top legal body has summoned the chief anti-corruption prosecutor to answer charges made by the justice minister who wants her ousted over what he says are serious concerns about the way she does her job. The…

Polish Holocaust rescuers call for Polish-Israeli dialogue

WARSAW, Poland –  The last surviving Christian Poles who helped Jews during the Holocaust are appealing to Polish and Israeli authorities to return to a path of "dialogue and reconciliation" amid a diplomatic crisis and bitter emotions sparked by a…

10 killed in airstrike in Syria despite UN cease-fire resolution

Ten people were killed in airstrikes as bombardment resumed Monday in the rebel-held suburbs of east Damascus, a Syrian monitoring group and paramedics say, bringing the death toll to 24 since the U.N.-mandated cease-fire on Saturday. Syrian state television showed…

EU mulls Cambodia sanctions over erosion of democracy

BRUSSELS –  The European Union is weighing whether to impose sanctions on senior officials in Cambodia over the erosion of democracy and a crackdown on the opposition and media there. EU foreign ministers on Monday urged Cambodia "to restore democracy…

Greece enters final round of reform talks with creditors

ATHENS, Greece –  Greece's government is opening a last round of reforms talks with bailout creditors, just five months before the country's massive rescue loan program ends. Government officials say that the talks with representatives of Greece's European partners and…

Vietnam seizes heroin worth $2.5M in China border drug bust

HANOI, Vietnam –  Vietnamese police have seized 100 kilograms of heroin worth $2.5 million in one of the country's largest drug busts. Two men were arrested on Friday in northern province of Cao Bang bordering China as they were allegedly…

German prosecutors detain Syrian accused of terror links

BERLIN –  German prosecutors say they have detained a 28-year-old Syrian man on allegations he fought with an extremist organization in Syria. Frankfurt prosecutors said in a statement Monday that the suspect, whose name was not released, was detained last…

EU prepares new Myanmar sanctions over Rohingya crackdown

BRUSSELS –  European Union foreign ministers have tasked the EU's top diplomat with drawing up a list of sanctions to slap on senior Myanmar military officers over rights abuses against the Rohingya minority. The ministers on Monday also ordered EU…

Slovak investigative reporter, his girlfriend killed

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia –  Slovakia's top police officer says an investigative reporter has been shot dead in his home together with his girlfriend. Tibor Gaspar says Jan Kuciak and his partner were found dead on Sunday evening in their house in…

Human Rights Watch urges Egypt to avoid pre-election arrests

CAIRO –  Human Rights Watch has sharply criticized Egyptian authorities for a series of "arbitrary" arrests of political opponents of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ahead of next month's presidential election, which the group considers "unfair." Monday's HRW statement urges for the…

2 lions from Mideast war zones head to South African refuge

JOHANNESBURG –  Two lions rescued from neglected zoos in war zones in Iraq and Syria have been transported to South Africa to recover from physical and psychological trauma at a big cat sanctuary. Fiona Miles with international animal welfare group…

The Latest: Coldest temperatures of the winter hit Moscow

ROME –  The Latest on cold weather and snow across Europe (all times local): 10:25 a.m. Temperatures in Moscow have dropped to this winter's low despite the approaching spring. The Meteorological Office said on Monday the mercury in the Russian…

Turkey formally requests Syrian Kurdish leader's extradition

ANKARA, Turkey –  Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag says Ankara has submitted documents to the Czech authorities formally requesting the extradition of the former leader of a Syrian Kurdish party. Salih Muslim, former co-chair of the Democratic Union Party,…

Israel court releases 4 in Netanyahu aides' corruption case

JERUSALEM –  An Israeli court has released four of the seven suspects held in a high-profile corruption case involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's confidants after a judge apparently discussed their detention with an investigator. The development leaves two Netanyahu aides…

The Latest: UN chief: 'Stop this hell on earth' in Syria

BEIRUT –  The Latest on the war in Syria (all times local): 11:15 a.m. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says it's "high time to stop this hell on Earth" in Syria's embattled eastern Ghouta region. Guterres also appealed on the warring…

4 dead, 4 in hospital after explosion in English city

LONDON –  Police say four people have died in an explosion that collapsed a building in the English city of Leicester. Officials said Monday another four people are hospitalized and more people may be missing. A search and rescue operation…

Despite cease-fire, 10 more killed in rebel Damascus suburbs

BEIRUT –  A Syrian monitoring group and paramedics say that despite the U.N. cease-fire resolution, new bombardment of the rebel-held suburbs east of Damascus killed 10 people as airstrikes and bombing resumed. Syrian state TV broadcast live footage showing the…

South Korea president joins country's growing MeToo movement

SEOUL, South Korea –  South Korea's president has joined the growing number of supporters of the country's MeToo movement. President Moon Jae-in said in a meeting with his advisers Monday that he expressed respect to the victims who spoke up…

China removes online criticism of plan to extend Xi's rule

BEIJING –  Chinese censors are acting quickly to remove satirical comments about the ruling Communist Party's move to enable President Xi Jinping to stay in power indefinitely, while political observers are examining the possibility that China will return to an…

Rare snowfall blankets Rome, closing schools

ROME –  Romans have awoken to a rare snowfall, after an Arctic storm passing over much of Europe dumped enough snow to force schools to close and public transport to reduce services. Rome's Mediterranean climate and proximity to the sea…

The Latest: Quake causes damage in Indonesia's Papua

WELLINGTON, New Zealand –  The Latest on a powerful earthquake that struck Papua New Guinea (all times local): 8:45 p.m. Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency says a powerful earthquake that struck Papua New Guinea caused panic and damaged buildings in the…

Famine again a threat in South Sudan, new report says

JUBA, South Sudan –  One year after South Sudan briefly declared a famine, more than half of the people in the world's youngest nation face extreme hunger amid civil war and famine could return, a new report says. More than…

Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea

BEIJING –  A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential…

Pakistan K2 expedition concerned after climber abandons team

ISLAMABAD –  A Pakistani mountaineering official says a Polish K2 expedition has expressed concern after a member abandoned the team following a dispute with fellow climbers to attempt a solo ascent of the world's second-highest peak in winter. Karrar Haidri…

Syria starts rebuilding even as more destruction wreaked

HOMS, Syria –  In the Syrian city of Homs' landmark Clock Square, where some of the first anti-government protests erupted in 2011, stands a giant poster of a smiling President Bashar Assad waving his right arm, with a caption that…

Powerful earthquake rattles remote Papua New Guinea

WELLINGTON, New Zealand –  Government officers in Papua New Guinea are traveling to the area hit by a powerful earthquake to assess unverified reports of fatalities and to see the extent of the damage. A magnitude-7.5 quake hit early Monday…

Militants to apologize to victims of Indonesia attacks

JAKARTA, Indonesia –  The Indonesian government is bringing together dozens of convicted Islamic militants and survivors of attacks in what it hopes will be an important step in combating radicalism and fostering reconciliation. The director of de-radicalization at Indonesia's counter-terrorism…

New Aussie deputy prime minister elected after resignation

CANBERRA, Australia –  A new Australian deputy prime minister has been appointed after his predecessor quit over a sexual harassment allegation. Lawmakers in the Nationals party elected Michael McCormack as their leader on Monday. The junior coalition partner's former leader…

At least 6 injured after fiery explosion levels UK building

At least six people were injured in the city of Leicester, U.K., on Sunday after British police said they were responding to reports of a massive building explosion, which they described as a "major incident." “All emergency services are currently…

The Latest: Large earthquake rattles tens of thousands

WELLINGTON, New Zealand –  The Latest on the earthquake in Papua New Guinea (all times local): 1 p.m. Officials are waiting for more information about damage from the magnitude 7.5 quake that hit Papua New Guinea early Monday. Chris McKee,…

Guardiola uses Man City trophy win to back Catalonia protest

LONDON –  Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola used the platform provided by his first cup success with the English Premier League team on Sunday to criticize the imprisonment of pro-independence Catalan politicians. Guardiola defied an English Football Association charge for…

Greek police arrest drivers transporting Syrians near border

THESSALONIKI, Greece –  Greek police say they have arrested two Syrian citizens on suspicion of transporting 20 people who allegedly had entered the country illegally from Turkey. The arrests happened Saturday, but announced by police on Sunday. Police said a…

5 killed, 1 injured in downtown Puerto Rico shooting

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –  Five people have been killed and one injured in a shooting outside a bar in downtown Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican police said the incident occurred around midnight Saturday in the town of Comerio, about 19…

Hungary: Local win gives opposition hope for national vote

BUDAPEST, Hungary –  A candidate supported by several opposition parties in Hungary has been elected mayor of a southern city long dominated by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party. Analysts say Peter Marki-Zay's surprising victory in Hodmezovasarhely on Sunday could…