U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday he had discussed Russian aggression in Ukraine during more than five hours of talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and raised concerns over Beijing’s alignment with Moscow. Both diplomats described their first in-person talks since October as “candid”, with the meeting taking place a day… Read More U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

UK PM Boris Johnson apologises for 1971 Belfast killings

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday apologised “unreservedly” on behalf of the British government for the deaths of 10 innocent people killed in a 1971 incident in Belfast during a British Army operation. A judge-led inquiry on Tuesday found that British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the… Read More UK PM Boris Johnson apologises for 1971 Belfast killings

Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed agrees not to extend presidential term

Members of Somalia’s opposition on Wednesday refused to withdraw from fortified positions in the capital after the president tried to defuse an armed standoff by promising to appear before parliament to debate a proposal to extend his term by two years. The proposal has split some security forces along clan lines and forced between 60,000… Read More Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed agrees not to extend presidential term

Myanmar military sentences nineteen to death over killing of officer

Nineteen people have been sentenced to death in Myanmar for killing an associate of an army captain, the military owned Myawaddy TV station said on Friday, the first such sentences announced in public since a February 1 coup and crackdown on protesters. The report said the killing took place on March 27 in the North… Read More Myanmar military sentences nineteen to death over killing of officer

New Zealand’s Catholic Church formally apologises to sexual abuse survivors

New Zealand’s Catholic Church formally apologised on Friday to the survivors of abuse within the church and said its systems and culture must change. Cardinal John Dew, who is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand, made the apology at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care on behalf of the… Read More New Zealand’s Catholic Church formally apologises to sexual abuse survivors

U.S. President Joe Biden holds first phone call with China’s President Xi Jinping amid tense relations

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held their first telephone call as leaders, with Biden saying a free and open Indo-Pacific was a priority and Xi warning confrontation would be a ‘disaster’ for both nations. Biden also underscored his “fundamental concerns about Beijing’s coercive and unfair practices, its crackdown in Hong… Read More U.S. President Joe Biden holds first phone call with China’s President Xi Jinping amid tense relations

Russian police detain hundreds protesting against jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

Riot police broke up protests across Russia on Sunday in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, detaining more than 4,500 people who had braved the bitter cold and the threat of prosecution to demand he be set free. In a massive show of force, police imposed a sweeping security lockdown in the heart of Moscow,… Read More Russian police detain hundreds protesting against jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

WhatsApp faces legal petition in India over new privacy policy

WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy verges on user surveillance and threatens India’s security, a petition filed in an Indian court said on Thursday, presenting another legal challenge for the Facebook Inc-owned messenger. California-based WhatsApp said on January 4 it reserved the right to share some data including location and phone number with Facebook and its units… Read More WhatsApp faces legal petition in India over new privacy policy