France and Germany outlined separate proposals for reforming NATO on Wednesday after President Emmanuel Macron slammed the alliance as experiencing “brain death”, causing uproar just weeks before a crucial summit. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian used the one-day meeting with his…

Swedish prosecutors said Tuesday they have dropped their investigation into jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a 2010 rape allegation, even though they found the plaintiff’s claim “credible”. The decision likely ends the threat of extradition to Sweden for the whistleblower,…

China yesterday accused the United States of seeking to “destroy” Hong Kong and threatened retaliation after Congress passed new legislation supporting the pro-democracy movement that has thrown the city into nearly six months of turmoil. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the passage of the…

Corruption charges against Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa were dropped Thursday by a court, which handed his passport back as he acquired immunity from prosecution after being elected last weekend. Under Sri Lanka’s constitution, no court proceedings can be maintained against a serving…

Three navy vessels that Moscow seized last year and handed back to Ukraine have arrived at a Ukrainian port, though Kiev said they were stripped of equipment.…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has rejected an invitation by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to a regional summit next week, Pyongyang’s state media said yesterday , in a stark illustration of the dire relations between the neighbours. South Korea is due to host a summit with Southeast Asian…

A lawyer for some of the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday said they wanted to speak to Prince Andrew about his links to the late convicted sex offender. Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, 59, has faced outrage for days after he gave a television interview in which he defended his friendship…

Ride-hailing pioneer Uber, rather than being part of the solution to urban transport may be adding to related problems, especially pollution from diesel cars, a study showed yesterday. Transport & Environment, which groups NGOs in Europe to promote sustainable transport solutions, said Uber revolutionised…

Indian couple go on trial in Germany for spying on Sikhs AFP, Berlin An Indian couple accused of spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities in Germany went on trial yesterday on charges that carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The suspects were charged in March and have been named only as Manmohan…