Month: January 2023
Execution of British-Iranian
France summoned Iran’s top diplomat in Paris, warning that Tehran’s repeated violations of international law could not go unanswered. The execution of British-Iranian man Alireza Akbari, who had been sentenced to death, has been widely condemned. Iran summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over what it called Britain’s “unconventional interventions”. Human rights group Amnesty International
Botswana New Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5
Earlier this month, Botswana reported a single COVID-19 death, the southern African country’s first in four months after the detection of new subvariants of the COVID-19 Omicron variant BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 early last month. The new subvariant is a result of mutations of the already existing Omicron variant, which is dominant in Botswana and the
DR Congo church attack
At least five people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected Islamist militant bomb on a church in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Sunday. Videos posted on social media showed bodies in the pews and blood on the floor. Another showed bloodied victims being carried and
new waves of missiles across Ukraine
Later on Saturday – a day when Ukrainians celebrate the Old (or Orthodox) New Year Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks on civilian targets could be stopped only if Ukraine’s Western partners supplied necessary weapons. Russia launched fresh waves of missile attacks across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least five people in a strike
Croatia will not impose restrictive COVID-19 measures on Chinese passengers
Croatia will not follow the examples of some Western European countries to take restrictive COVID-19 measures on Chinese passengers, Kaic said, noting that the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has said that it is unjustified and unnecessary to impose mandatory inspections on passengers from China. Fireworks are seen during the inauguration ceremony
TikTok in the United States
Separately, the US government will ban TikTok from all federal devices as part of legislation included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill that President Joe Biden signed last week.But while the ban on government and federal devices is a fact, the idea of a national ban on TikTok faces long odds, After the US government
Peru protests
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has refused to step down despite weeks of anti-government protests rocking the deeply divided country. The violence was triggered by the arrest of the former president, Pedro Castillo in December, after he attempted to suspend Congress after losing an impeachment vote. Several members of Ms Boluarte’s government resigned on Friday, including
Tesla cuts prices by up to a fifth
Tesla has cut the price of some of its most popular electric cars by thousands of pounds in Europe and the US, in a bid to boost customer demand and to try to avoid similar objections in the US and Europe, Tesla said customers who had ordered, but not yet received, their vehicle would be
Gemini and Genesis charged over crypto sale
Cryptocurrency firms Gemini and Genesis have been charged by US regulators with illegally selling crypto assets to hundreds of thousands of investors. Gemini was co-founded by twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss – known for their legal dispute with Facebook. Tyler called the complaint “disappointing”, and said his company looks forward to defending itself. The Securities
Russian war critics could lose homes
Days into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, a law was passed that criminalised discrediting Russia’s armed forces or spreading “false information” about the war which Moscow calls a “special military operation”. Russians who have gone abroad and criticised their country or its military should have their property confiscated, A number of dissidents have