World News

Dutch probe 'hate' projection on Anne Frank house

Dutch police were on Friday investigating the projection of a laser message on the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, condemned by the museum as an "anti-Semitic and racist" act.. It is an anti-Semitic and racist film," the museum said.

Kurdish militants suspend 'operations' after Turkey quake

Kurdish militants from the outlawed PKK group announced a temporary halt in fighting to facilitate rescue work after the huge earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and parts of Syria.. Turkey is now conducting a low-scale war against the Kurds in northern Iraq and also fighting a separate Kurdish group in Syria that it views as a local branch of the PKK -- but which Washington has relied on to battle Islamic State jihadists.

Indonesian domestic worker wins compensation for abuse in Hong Kong

An Indonesian woman who was beaten and burned by her former Hong Kong employers, leaving her suffering chronic pain, was awarded more than $110,000 in damages on Friday.. She was burned with an iron and beaten with a bike chain, leaving her physically scarred and mentally traumatised.

Hungary protests against Chinese battery plant defy 'Orbanomics'

Even as diggers turned over land for one of Europe's biggest electric battery plants, environmental protesters vowed to run the Chinese project out of town.. Hungary has more than 20 EV battery plant projects under way and hopes to become the EU's second biggest producer in GWh (gigawatt per hour) terms by 2030 behind Germany. 

Spurred by Ukraine fight, Russia's 'Women's Guard' learn to shoot

Wielding Soviet-designed Kalashnikov rifles, a group of Russian women with elaborate manicures and clad in camouflage are drilling different firing positions, first aiming on their knees and then their stomachs.. Some of the women wear elaborate makeup and have long hair.

EU prepares response to new US green subsidy plan

Confronted by competition from Washington's vast green tech investment plan, European leaders opened the way Friday towards a relaxation of their own restrictions on state aid.. European capitals fear the US subsidies for clean tech will lure investment across the Atlantic, and torpedo the bloc's recovery plans.

Cyprus presidential run-off too close to call

With Cyprus's ruling DISY out of the presidential race for the first time in its history, the conservative party's decision to back neither candidate has thrown Sunday's run-off wide open.. Despite Anastasiades' endorsement, Neofytou is the first DISY candidate in the party's history not to progress from the first round.

Colombian VP, on visit to Cuba, urges US lift island embargo

Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez on Thursday began her two-day visit to Havana with a call for Washington to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and to lift its decades-long embargo on the Communist-run island.. Washington first designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1982 -- amid the Cold War -- over its history of providing safe haven, training and financial support to leftist insurgencies.

Macron mulls stripping Putin of France's top honour

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday he might strip his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of France's top honour, but is waiting for the "right moment" to do so.. On Wednesday, Macron awarded Putin's enemy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the top honour, but he has yet to formally remove it from Putin.  

EU agrees tougher rules for irregular migrants

EU leaders have agreed tougher rules aimed at making it easier to expel asylum-seekers whose refugee applications are denied, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Friday.. The EU leaders also agreed "to increase the use of the safe-country concepts" that will open the way to the bloc formulating a common list, von der Leyen said. rmb/mca