World News

US Senate moves to bring Finland, Sweden into NATO

The US Senate on Tuesday took its first step towards bringing Sweden and Finland into NATO, with bipartisan support for the new alliance members following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.. Sweden and Finland have historically sought not to antagonize their giant neighbor to the east and had shied away from joining NATO. But the mood quickly changed after Russia shocked Europe on February 24 by invading Ukraine, which had tried but failed for years to join NATO. sct/sst

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 1 mins read

World News

Azerbaijan starts return of people to recaptured areas

Azerbaijan on Tuesday began the process of returning its people to land recaptured from Armenian separatists in what Baku calls "The Great Return" following a 2020 war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh.. Baku has vowed to spend billions of petrodollars on the reconstruction of Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby recaptured areas. 

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Climate deniers sow weather-map heatwave misinfo

Climate-change deniers on social media have a viral way of spreading scepticism during a heatwave: by publishing weather maps out of context to imply forecasters are exaggerating climate change.. - Climate change is real -  Climate scientists overwhelmingly agree that carbon emissions from humans burning fossil fuels are heating the planet, raising the risk and severity of heatwaves and other extreme weather events. 

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Ukraine calls for ramp-up of US precision rocket systems

Ukraine's defense minister asked Tuesday for the West to scale up drastically its supply of precision rocket systems, calling them a "game-changer" that could allow a counteroffensive against Russian invaders. . "That could be a game-changer on the battlefield in that case."

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 1 mins read

World News

US adds Vietnam, Cambodia, Macau to trafficking blacklist

The United States on Tuesday added Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Macau to a human trafficking blacklist that already counts Malaysia, alleging weak efforts to stop forced sex work or assist migrant laborers.. In an annual report, the United States also added authoritarian-ruled Belarus to the blacklist and, in a rare criticism of a Western ally, put Bulgaria on a watchlist over concerns it is not taking trafficking seriously.

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Britons desperate to cool off as mercury hits historic 40C

Runways melted, people struggled to sleep and the queen's guard used desk fans as they sweltered in heavy ceremonial uniforms as Britain hit record temperatures on Tuesday.. Red-faced troops, standing guard in heavy ceremonial uniforms and helmets outside Horse Guards Parade, were seen using desk fans.

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 3 mins read

World News

Turkish court says Erdogan had right to annul women's treaty

Turkey's top court on Tuesday ruled that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had the right to pull his country out of a European convention against gender-based violence.. The treaty -- now enacted by dozens of European countries -- requires member states to adopt domestic legislation that strictly punishes domestic abuse and gender-based violence.

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 1 mins read

World News

UK's Sunak tops Tory MPs' latest vote as race narrows to three

Britain's former finance minister Rishi Sunak again topped the latest vote by Conservative MPs to choose a new prime minister, as another candidate was eliminated to leave three contenders in the race.. Sunak garnered 118 votes, followed by former defence minister Penny Mordaunt on 92 and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on 86, with longshot candidate Kemi Badenoch trailing on 59 and therefore eliminated from the contest.

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Court battle opens in Musk, Twitter buyout fight

The high stakes court battle between Elon Musk and Twitter kicked off on Tuesday, as the social media firm tries to force the entrepreneur to honor their $44 billion buyout deal.. A forced closing of the Twitter deal is a scenario that some analysts consider possible.

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Fire and destruction at Europe's biggest sand dune

In a usual July on Europe's biggest sand dune, holidaymakers clamber to its peak to admire the panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean beyond.. The Dune de Pilat is a famous attraction on France's west coast, with its sands rising abruptly out of thick pine forests that shade bustling camp sites and caravan parks in the summer months.  

Tue, Jul 19, 2022 2 mins read