Europe

Ukrainian soldiers dig trenches in case of retreat from Bakhmut

by Florent VERGNES Agence France-Presse NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AFP) — A shovel and a blue bucket in hand, a Ukrainian soldier climbs out of the trench he was digging, which would be part of the new defense line if Bakhmut fell to Russian forces. After around nine months of fierce combat, Russian troops including Wagner paramilitary fighters hold about two-thirds of the eastern city. Kyiv is preparing for an eventual loss of Bakhmut, which it […]

Swiss parliament fumes over Credit Suisse collapse

by Nathalie OLOF-ORS Agence France-Presse BERN, Switzerland (AFP) — The Swiss parliament voiced its fury on Tuesday at the collapse of Credit Suisse and how the rules intended to prevent such a major bank from getting itself into trouble completely failed. At an extraordinary session of parliament called to debate the implosion of the bank and its takeover by larger rival UBS, Swiss President Alain Berset defended orchestrating the merger, saying a bankruptcy would have […]

Russian volcano spews ash across Kamchatka peninsula

Russia’s Shiveluch volcano erupted on Tuesday, spewing ash across a vast swathe of the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, potentially posing a risk to flights and paralysing several villages. Dramatic videos published by officials showed a huge wall of ash rising above a snowy forest. Volcanologists issued a red code warning for flights and Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsiya urged crews to “constantly monitor changes in meterological information”. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), which monitors […]

England’s health service set for ‘catastrophic’ doctors’ strike

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The public health service in England was on Tuesday braced for “the most disruptive industrial action” in its history as junior doctors walk out over pay and working conditions. The National Health Service (NHS) has been hit by waves of strikes in recent months as soaring inflation eats into wages and pandemic backlogs coupled with staff shortages increase workloads. But the four-day walkout by junior doctors threatens to be the […]

W.House ‘confident’ in US-French ties despite Macron’s China remarks

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House said Monday it remains “confident” in the US-French relationship after President Emmanuel Macron distanced himself from US policy on Taiwan and warned Europeans not to be American “followers.” Macron’s remarks to journalists from French business daily Les Echos and news site Politico came after he was hosted for a state visit by China’s Xi Jinping. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration […]

After backlash, Twitter now calls NPR — and BBC — ‘government-funded’

Washington, United States | AFP | Sunday 4/10/2023 Twitter has backtracked after an uproar for labeling the US radio network NPR as “state- affiliated media” and now calls it “government-funded.” Elon Musk’s social media network has also applied that new label to the BBC, which is funded predominantly by British households paying a license fee. Britain’s beloved national broadcaster has reached out to Twitter for clarification, news reports said. The change in how Twitter refers […]

30 years of bloodshed: Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’

Belfast, United Kingdom | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 Northern Ireland was torn apart by three decades of violence between nationalist and unionist communities that ended with the Good Friday Agreement signed exactly 25 years ago on Monday. The province’s majority Protestant unionists favoured continued British rule. Catholic republicans wanted equal rights and reunification with the rest of Ireland. Here is an overview of the “Troubles” during which more than 3,500 people were killed. – Trouble […]

Sunak, Biden to mark 25 years since N.Irish peace deal

  London, United Kingdom | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 by Joe JACKSON Northern Ireland on Monday marks the 25th anniversary of its landmark 1998 peace accords, with the UK province mired in political dysfunction and security concerns that threaten to overshadow the milestone. No major public events are planned for the day itself, but British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden will arrive Tuesday to launch several days of high-profile commemorations. The […]

Moscow-backed official claims visit to frontline city Bakhmut

  Moscow, Russia | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 A Moscow-backed official announced Monday that he had visited the frontline city of Bakhmut in Ukraine, suggesting that Russia’s forces have made significant gains there. The battle for Bakhmut is the longest and bloodiest of Russia’s offensive, and the city has taken on huge symbolic importance even though analysts say it has little strategic value. Denis Pushilin, the Russia-installed head of the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region, posted […]

US assessing how documents leak could affect national security

  Washington, United States | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 The United States is assessing how the apparent leak of a trove of highly classified documents could impact national security, the Pentagon said on Sunday. The breach — which is being investigated by the Justice Department — appears to include assessments and secret intelligence reports that touch not only on Ukraine and Russia but also highly sensitive analyses of US allies. While the Defense Department is […]

Toll rises to four in French building collapse

  Marseille, France | AFP | Monday 4/10/2023 by Isabelle Wesselingh and Olivier Lucazeau Rescue workers on Monday recovered a fourth body from the rubble of a collapsed apartment in France’s Marseille, a cabinet minister said, as firefighters raced against the clock to find four people still missing. More than 24 hours after a suspected explosion at the building, where residents reported a strong smell of gas, dozens of civil defence staff and sniffer dogs […]

Two bodies found in collapsed French building: firefighters

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — Two bodies have been found in the rubble of a building that collapsed in the French city of Marseille following a major explosion, the fire department announced on Monday morning. “Given the particular difficulties of intervention, the extraction (of the bodies from the site) will take time,” the department said in a brief statement, confirming reports in local media. “The judicial authority will then proceed to identify” the victims, it added. […]