News Archives - Page 38 of 81

UN Proposes Draft Resolution on Myanmar Arms Embargo

17May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Myanmar, News

UN Proposes Draft Resolution on Myanmar Arms Embargo

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly plans to develop a draft resolution on Myanmar on Tuesday. It called for the "immediate suspension" of arms deliveries to Myanmar's junta, and a UN representative told the AFP news agency on Sunday. The resolution calls for "the immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale and transfer of arms, ammunition and other military equipment to Myanmar." While General Assembly resolutions are not binding, they do have great political significance. If the members do not reach a unanimous agreement on Tuesday evening at the plenary meeting of the UN, the 193 member states will vote on the measure. The resolution has been negotiated for weeks. So far, 48 countries have backed the plan for the resolution. South Korea is currently the ...

Death by an Explosion in Mosque Afghanistan

14May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Afghanistan, News

Death by an Explosion in Mosque Afghanistan

An explosion in a mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul has claimed the lives of at least twelve people. The explosion comes at a time when Afghanistan is under a short truce due to the end of Ramadan. The explosion, according to police, took place during Friday prayers. In addition to the fatalities, including the imam of the mosque, 15 were also injured. It is not immediately clear who is behind the explosion. A three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and the Afghan government has been in force in Afghanistan since Thursday. The militant organization had proclaimed it because of Eid al-Fitr, also known as the Sugar Feast. The army has been called upon by the government to respect the truce. The Taliban's announcement was welcomed by President Ashraf Ghani, who is calling for a pe...

Amazon Wins Case Before EU Court Against EU Commission Tax Decision

12May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Amazon Wins Case Before EU Court Against EU Commission Tax Decision

The world's most prominent online merchant Amazon has not taken advantage of unauthorized tax breaks in Luxembourg. The General Court of the European Union ruled that on Wednesday. In 2017, the European Commission wrongly instructed the Luxembourg government to claim 250 million euros in 'back pay' tax plus interest from Amazon, the judges said. Amazon and the Luxembourg government had taken the EU General Court against the decision of the day-to-day EU administration. In 2017, EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager (Competition) ruled that Luxembourg had provided illegal state aid to Amazon. Based in the Grand Duchy of Denmark, the company enjoyed competitive advantages through a favourable tax deal ('ruling') from 2003, which was extended in 2011. As a result, Amazon didn't have t...

The Tech Companies Went Down Again on Wall Street

11May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, US

The Tech Companies Went Down Again on Wall Street

The tech companies went down again on a red-coloured Wall Street on Tuesday amid investor concerns about rising inflation and higher interest rates. The energy sector on the stock exchanges in New York was also under pressure from falling oil prices. If inflation soars, it could mean that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates faster, which would be particularly unfavourable for tech stocks. Big names like Amazon, Apple, Google, mother Alphabet and Facebook lost up to 2.3 percent. Tesla went down 4.5 percent. Oil and gas producers ExxonMobil and Chevron fell to 1.9 percent. ConocoPhillips lost 2.6 percent. The shareholders of the American oil company vote on a climate resolution. In addition, steel group US Steel fell 2 percent due to fears of higher raw material price...

Aung San Suu Kyi Will Appear in Court on May 24

10May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Myanmar, News

Aung San Suu Kyi Will Appear in Court on May 24

Former Myanmar government leader Aung San Suu Kyi appears in court for the first time on May 24. Her lawyer has communicated this to the AFP news agency. Aung San Suu Kyi has not been seen in public since her arrest in the military coup on February 1. Since then, she has been under house arrest in the capital, Naypyidaw, and is only allowed to speak to her lawyers during short video sessions that her guards strictly monitor. This morning a new hearing was held via video conference. It was announced there that Aung San Suu Kyi "would appear in person on May 24," said one of her lawyers, Khin Maung Zaw. His client appeared to be in good health, but he still hasn't been able to meet her. "We are not sure that the police will allow us to speak to her privately before the hearing," t...

India Registers A Record Increase of Corona Infections Again

7May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

India, News

India Registers A Record Increase of Corona Infections Again

India has again registered a record number of corona infections in one day. On Friday, it reported a further 414,188 new cases in the last 24 hours. India has already registered a total of about 21.49 million corona infections. The number of corona deaths increased by another 3,915 in the last 24 hours. In the country with approximately 1.37 billion inhabitants, a total of at least 234,083 deaths were caused by Covid-19. Experts believe the true death toll is much higher.

Antony Blinken: Moscow Must Stop Aggressive Actions Against Ukraine

6May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

US, News, Russia, Ukraine

Antony Blinken: Moscow Must Stop Aggressive Actions Against Ukraine

US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken calls on Russia to stop its "reckless and aggressive actions" against Ukraine. He did this during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski in Kyiv. Blinken's visit comes just after Russia gathered more than 100,000 soldiers at the border with Ukraine last month. That was the largest mobilization of Russian forces since Moscow annexed Ukrainian Crimea in 2014 and war broke out in Eastern Ukraine. Kyiv said the military was threatened with "the destruction of the Ukrainian state," while Moscow said the military exercises at the border were not a cause for concern. Now that those exercises are over, the soldiers are leaving. Zelenski does not think that is going fast enough. "There may still be a threat," he said. "Nobody wants these s...

EU Gets Another Envoy for Freedom of Religion

5May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News

EU Gets Another Envoy for Freedom of Religion

After years, the European Union will again receive a special envoy who stands up for freedom of religion. The former Cypriot European Commissioner Christos Stylianides has been entrusted with that task. The Christian Democrat Stylianides will work on behalf of the EU to combat discrimination and counter-radicalization. He will also encourage conversation between different faith communities and help with reconciliation. The European Commission actually wanted to get rid of the envoy after the departure of special envoy Ján Figel in 2019. But the committee gave in to pressure from especially the Christian Democrats and the right-wing conservatives in the European Parliament. However, it was not possible to appoint a successor for Figel. The SGP is happy with the appointment. "We f...

Netanyahu Again Does Not Seem to be Able to Form A Government

4May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Israel, News

Netanyahu Again Does Not Seem to be Able to Form A Government

The deadline for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a new government will expire at midnight (local time). On Tuesday, however, there are hardly any signs that the country's longest-serving leader can break the political deadlock of more than two years. The political contradictions and mistrust in the prime minister are great. Nor are there any signs that, should Netanyahu fail to form a new coalition, the opposition parties would be able to bridge their political differences and form a government. Netanyahu, 71, has been in office since 2009 and served three years in government in the 1990s. He's been fighting for his political life through four elections since 2019 without a clear winner. A new premiership makes him inviolable and thus prevents him from being co...

Greek Coast Guard Rescues 170 Migrants From A Boat Adrift

3May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News

Greek Coast Guard Rescues 170 Migrants From A Boat Adrift

Near the Greek peninsula of the Peloponnese, nearly 170 boat people who attempted to cross the Mediterranean have been rescued. The Greek coast guard has communicated this. The migrants' craft had run into trouble about 90 kilometres south of Peloponnese due to an engine failure. The boat had been adrift for several hours when the passengers were picked up by a passing freighter. The coast guard escorted them to the port of the southern Greek city of Kalamata. In recent months, migrants have been picked up several times off the coast of the Peloponnese. According to the Greek coastguard, they are often put on old vessels by smugglers, which are soon in danger of failing when crossing the Mediterranean.