Europe

The Vatican has issued a clarification intended to calm Catholic bishops in some countries who have balked over last month’s approval of blessings for same-sex couples. The Vatican’s doctrinal office said the blessings should not be seen as an endorsement of the life that lesbian, gay or bisexual people lead. …

The military governments of Mali and Niger have announced plans to end their decades-long tax agreements with France within the next three months. The ruling juntas of the two countries said in a joint statement that they were ending the tax pacts due to “France’s persistent hostile attitude” towards their …

A 55-year-old Italian fugitive, suspected of being linked to the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta mafia and wanted for major cocaine trafficking between South America and Europe, was arrested in Colombia, Interpol announced this Thursday 1st December. Massimo Gigliotti was the subject of a red notice, an international wanted notice issued by the …

The European Union announced that it had canceled its electoral observation mission for the December 20 general elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It said it would not be able to deploy people across the country for security reasons. “Due to technical constraints beyond the control of the EU, …

Former Lyon mayor Gérard Collomb, ex-Interior Minister in the first Macron government, passed away peacefully among his family after suffering from stomach cancer in Lyon, France, according to reports. Gérard Collomb had been an early supporter of Emmanuel Macron before his arrival at the Élysée. His health had deteriorated considerably …

Russian authorities on Sunday included Andy Stone, the spokesperson for the American social media giant Meta, parent company of Facebook and Whatsapp, in the list of people wanted, even though the company is classified as “extremist” in the country. Andy Stone’s name now appears in the Russian Interior Ministry’s database …

A Catholic priest of German nationality, Father Hans-Joachim Lohre, who disappeared in November 2022 in Mali and considered kidnapped, has been released, two archdiocese and government officials said on Sunday. “Priest Hans-Joachim Lohre, kidnapped on November 20, 2022, was released this Sunday. He is on the plane for his country,” …

After the formalization of an agreement between Israel and Hamas for the release of 50 people taken hostage on October 7 in exchange for 150 political prisoners, international reactions are pouring in. Many diplomatic voices have expressed their satisfaction with the success of the negotiations, carried out under the mediation …

The director of a French school in the principality of Andorra was arrested in the small Pyrenean state for having distributed child pornography images, we learned from the Andorran police on Friday. After being questioned by the police, the 59-year-old man was transferred to the Andorra la Vella court, where …

NATO member countries condemned on Tuesday Russia’s decision to formally withdraw from the historic treaty limiting conventional military forces in Europe, and decided to suspend their participation. Russia decided in 2007 to suspend its participation in this treaty on conventional weapons in Europe, which entered into force in 1992 after …