London, United Kingdom | AFP | Prime Minister Theresa May will on Wednesday face a confidence vote after MPs overwhelmingly rejected her deal to leave the European Union, leaving Britain with no plan as it hurtles towards Brexit on March 29. May suffered the largest government defeat in modern British …
Read More »Merkel’s ‘crown princess’ seeks to chart own path
Berlin, Germany | AFP | Dismissed by some as a mini-Angela Merkel, the new leader of Germany’s centre-right CDU party and likely next chancellor has marked the turn of the year by underlining a change in tone from her mentor. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, known in Germany as AKK after her …
Read More »UK parliament deals historic defeat to PM May’s Brexit deal
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s parliament on Tuesday voted against Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal by a massive margin, triggering a no confidence vote that could bring down her government. The House of Commons lower house voted 432 to 202 against May’s plan for taking Britain …
Read More »British MP delays giving birth for Brexit vote
London, United Kingdom | AFP | A British lawmaker has postponed giving birth in order to vote on Britain’s divorce deal with the EU on Tuesday. Tulip Siddiq, 36, was due to have a Caesarian section on Tuesday but medics have agreed to delay the operation until Thursday so that …
Read More »May warns MPs against ‘catastrophic’ failure to deliver Brexit
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday warned MPs preparing to vote down her EU divorce deal that failing to deliver Brexit would be a “catastrophic and unforgivable breach of trust in our democracy”. May, who is fighting to save her withdrawal agreement negotiated …
Read More »Pope urges EU leaders to show solidarity with migrants off Malta
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis on Sunday urged EU leaders to show “concrete solidarity” with 49 migrants stranded on NGO ships off the coast of Malta who have been refused permission to land. “Forty nine migrants rescued in the Mediterranean by two NGO ships have been onboard …
Read More »EU calls for DR Congo vote results to reflect people’s will
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The European Union called Friday for voting results in the Democratic Republic of Congo to reflect the people’s will at what it called a “historic moment toward a democratic transition.” Elections held last Sunday will determine who succeeds President Joseph Kabila, at the helm of …
Read More »Western powers urge DR Congo to restore Internet
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Leading western powers on Tuesday called on the Democratic Republic of Congo to restore internet access, which operators say was cut on government orders a day earlier following presidential elections. They also backed a request by the main Congolese election monitoring organisations to have …
Read More »Tighter EU terrorism tracking measures take effect
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Tighter measures to fight crime and terrorism in the European Union took effect on Friday as the 28-nation bloc seeks to improve security by sharing information more efficiently. New rules that strengthen the Schengen Information System (SIS) should help border guards and law enforcement agencies, …
Read More »DR Congo gives EU 48 hours to withdraw envoy
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | DR Congo on Thursday told the EU to recall its envoy in retaliation for sanctions against 14 officials, including President Joseph Kabila’s champion in elections three days away. “The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo urges the European Council to proceed without fail …
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