World News

US releases new Arctic strategy as climate threat grows

US President Joe Biden's administration released a new Arctic strategy on Friday as the strategically and environmentally important region suffers worsening effects from climate change and sees increased international competition.. It also "recognizes the increased strategic competition that we've seen in the Arctic in terms of Russia and (China) over the last decade, and... seeks to position the US to effectively compete and also manage those tensions." wd/ec

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Biden signs executive order on US-EU personal data privacy

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday designed to protect the privacy of personal data transfers between the EU and the United States and address European concerns about US intelligence collection activities.. The White House said the executive order addresses concerns raised by the Court of Justice of the European Union when it ruled that the previous framework known as Privacy Shield did not provide adequate protection.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Ukraine's first Nobel Peace Prize winners 'astonished'

The Kyiv-based Center for Civil Liberties has run successful campaigns for political prisoners, tracked enforced disappearances and focused on Russian war crimes, but they did not see a Nobel Peace prize coming.. The peace prize laureates "represent civil society in their countries" said the Nobel committee.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Russian-backed forces claim gains near Bakhmut in east Ukraine

Russian forces said Friday they had captured ground in Donetsk in east Ukraine, their first claim of new gains after Kyiv grabbed momentum with a counter-offensive that rattled Russia's war effort. . In Kherson, the Moscow-installed deputy head of the region said Friday that five civilians were killed in shelling by Kyiv's forces, as Ukrainian forces push their counter-offensive to reclaim the area.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Cambodian opposition politician loses defamation case

A prominent Cambodian opposition politician with Australian citizenship was convicted of defamation on Friday for criticising local elections in which strongman leader Hun Sen's party won a landslide victory.. Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won a landslide in local elections in June, taking roughly 80 percent of seats.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 1 mins read

World News

Iran says Mahsa Amini died of illness rather than 'blows'

Iran said Friday an investigation into the death in custody of Mahsa Amini found she lost her life to illness rather than reported beatings that sparked three weeks of bloody protests.. Anger over her death has sparked the biggest wave of protests to rock Iran in almost three years and a crackdown that has killed dozens of protesters and seen scores arrested.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 3 mins read

World News

France under fire over Ukraine weapons deliveries

France has repeatedly been in critics' sights over its lower level of military support to Ukraine compared with allies, but officials and experts say capacity rather than political will is at the root of the differences.. Even with its far higher stocks and productive capacity, "there is starting to be concern among US military leaders about weapons reserves" given the level delivered to Ukraine and the parallel commitment to defend Taiwan in case of Chinese attack.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Human rights champions in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine win Nobel Peace Prize

A trio of human rights champions from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, a highly symbolic choice of laureates drawn from three nations at the centre of the war in Ukraine.. In addition to establishing a centre of documentation on victims of the Stalinist era, Memorial compiled and systematised information on political oppression and human rights violations in Russia.

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Sahel military coups only help jihadists: analysts

Burkina Faso's new rulers say they seized power to better fight jihadists, but history in the Sahel suggests the coup will merely stoke turbulence and division, benefitting the insurgents, analysts say.. A new junta led by 34-year-old Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in Burkina Faso last week, in the second such power grab since January blamed on failures to quell jihadist attacks. 

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Putin, the leader dreaming of Russian grandeur at any cost

Restoring Russia to its rightful place among the world's great powers has obsessed President Vladimir Putin, whose offensive in Ukraine was to be the culmination of over 20 years of iron-willed leadership.. Just days before the launch of the Ukraine offensive, French President Emmanuel Macron worried of a Putin "more unbending, more isolated."

Fri, Oct 7, 2022 5 mins read