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Belarus: Western sanctions bordering on a ‘declaration of economic war’
Belarus views Western sanctions, imposed in response to Minsk’s forced landing of a Ryanair plane last month to arrest a journalist on board, as a declaration of economic war, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
EU bans Belarus airlines as opposition urges G7 sanctions
Belarus carriers will be banned from flying over European Union territory or having access to its airports from Friday, the bloc said, as the country’s exiled opposition leader called for more joint Western sanctions
Reporters Without Borders holds protest against Belarus blogger arrest
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Thursday held a protest against the treatment of journalists by Belarus at the country’s border with Lithuania.
Belarus leader accuses West of using ‘plane hijack’ incident to try to undermine him
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday accused the West of trying to use the diversion of a Ryanair plane at the weekend to wage hybrid war against him and said it had falsely portrayed his handling of the incident.
Belarus scrambles fighter to force airliner to land, arrests opponent
Authorities in Belarus scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then detained an opposition-minded journalist who was on board, drawing criticism from across Europe.
Belarus’s forced landing of Lithuania-bound Ryanair plane sparks outrage
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania to land on Sunday in Minsk, where a Belarusian opposition activist on board was detained, prompting international condemnation.
Belarus forces Ryanair plane bound for Vilnius to land, infuriating Lithuania
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a Ryanair flight headed for Lithuania and carrying a young opposition blogger to land in Belarus on Sunday and detained him on arrival, prompting Lithuania to call for a NATO response.
Germany calls for truce in Israel-Gaza violence, offers more aid
Germany called for a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and offered more aid to help Palestinians on Tuesday before emergency European Union talks that are expected to highlight divisions over the conflict.
Council of Europe accuses Greece of migrant pushbacks
Europe’s top human rights watchdog has urged Greece to end pushbacks of asylum-seekers on its borders, a practice that Athens denies carrying out.
Manchester United ace Bruno Fernandes slams Super League plans
Podence’s post read: “The ball. The song. The dream. The Zidane’s volley… Kaka’s solo… Liverpool in Athens… Ole in Barcelona… Cris and Seedorf… There some (sic) things we just can’t really pay for.”
Turkish, Greek foreign ministers trade accusations at news conference
The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece clashed openly on Thursday at a joint news conference in Ankara that began with hopes of improved relations but quickly descended into acrimonious accusations from both sides.
Greece lifts quarantine requirement for tourists
Greece plans to lift its one-week quarantine requirement for tourists from European Union countries from Monday.
EU official urges Greece to investigate asylum-seeker pushbacks
Greece “can do more” to investigate allegations that it is pushing asylum-seekers, including children, back to Turkey, the European Union’s top migration official said on Monday.
Japan releases softball squad for Tokyo Olympic Games
Japanese softball team head coach Reika Utsugi has urged her players to capture Olympic gold on home soil after naming a 15-strong squad for Tokyo 2020.
Arsenal boss hails Manchester City as ‘best in Europe’
City have won a club-record 17 successive games across all competitions and are 10 points ahead of local rivals Manchester United at the summit of the English top-flight heading into this weekend's round of fixtures.
Greek president praises Olympic medallist for breaking abuse silence
Greece’s president praised Olympic sailing champion Sofia Bekatorou for dissolving “a conspiracy of silence” by reporting a historic allegation of sexual assault by a sports official.
Greece’s Orthodox Church defies Epiphany lockdown order
Greece’s Orthodox Church said on Monday it would defy a government lockdown order imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus and open churches to the faithful during the Epiphany celebration on Jan. 6.
Europe rolls out ‘new weapon’ vaccines in bid to slay coronavirus
Europe launched a mass COVID-19 vaccination drive on Sunday with pensioners and medics lining up to get the first shots to see off a pandemic that has crippled economies and claimed more than 1.7 million lives worldwide.
Turkey’s Erdogan, EU’s Michel discussed EU summit in call
President Tayyip Erdogan told European Council President Charles Michel in a call that Turkey wants to build its future with the EU, calling for Ankara and the bloc to move on from a “vicious cycle” in ties, the Turkish presidency said late on Tuesday.
Turkish exploration vessel back in port ahead of EU summit
Turkey’s seismic exploration vessel Oruc Reis returned to port on Monday from disputed Mediterranean waters, less than two weeks before a European Union summit where the bloc will evaluate possible sanctions against Ankara
Greek ship crew held hostage after Nigeria kidnapping
A ship management company is in talks to free three Greek sailors kidnapped earlier this month by pirates off the Nigerian coast, Athens' Merchant Navy Ministry said Sunday.
Georgia to remain partially closed for regular flights until 2021
The Georgian Aviation Authority has made another correction in the existing active NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), according to which it will remain partially closed for regular flights of Georgia until January 1, 202, Trend reports via Georgian media.
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‘Armed robbers’ involved in ghastly motor accident in Ogun
Three suspected armed robbers on Saturday were involved a ghastly motor accident at Ode-Remo, Ogun State, while escaping with a car they allegedly snatched at gunpoint.
Russians nationals detained in Chad desert say they are tourists
A group of Russians detained by the police in a part of northern Chad where the army has been battling a rebel invasion from Libya said on Wednesday that they were tourists who had come to sightsee in the Sahara Desert.
Senate vows to expose MDAs refusing to account for public funds
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the upper chamber will publish the names of government agencies that have refused to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to defend the interrogations of the Auditor-General for the Federation in the 2015 report.
Oyo governor urges council chiefs to strengthen intelligence gathering in their areas
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged local government chairmen in the state to upscale intelligence gathering in their respective council areas.
Super Eagles coach joins NPFL stars in training ahead of Mexico friendly
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr was present at the first training session of selected Nigeria Professional Football League players in Abuja on Wednesday.
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NADECO: President Buhari’s ‘Fulanisation’ policy, disregard for constitution fueling secessionist agitations
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has said it has no option but to join those insisting that there should be no more elections under the 1999 constitution, while also demanding the return to the 1960 and 1963 Federal Constitutions which were in operation in the First Republic.
Ethiopia condemns probe into Tigray human rights abuses
An African Union investigation into possible human rights abuses in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region was met with condemnation by the government in Addis Ababa on Thursday.
Euro 2020: Ousmane Dembele ruled out of tournament with injury
France had only brought on Dembele as a substitute earlier in the second-half before he was struck down with a knee issue.
UNICEF supports Kaduna with over three million vitamin A capsules
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has supported Kaduna State with more than three million Vitamin A capsules for distribution during the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week.
Police: Insecurity in Ghana not a reality
Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, says the use of the word ‘insecurity’, to describe the recent surge in crime in the country, deviates from the reality.