Trump threatens 200% tariffs on European spirits
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened the European Union with 200% tariffs on wine, champagne and other spirits produced in the 27-nation bloc after the EU levied what he said was “a nasty 50% tariff” on American-distilled whiskey. Trump…
Meta tests ‘Community Notes’ to replace fact-checkers
SAN FRANCISCO — Social media giant Meta on Thursday announced it would begin testing its new “Community Notes” feature across its platforms on March 18, as it shifts away from third-party fact-checking toward a crowd-sourced approach to content moderation. Meta’s…
White House withdraws nomination for CDC director
WASHINGTON — The White House has withdrawn the nomination of Dr. David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Senate health committee announced Thursday morning that it was canceling a planned hearing…
Rights probe alleges sexual violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces used as ‘method of war’
“Israel has increasingly employed sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians as part of a broader effort to undermine their right to self-determination,” maintained Chris Sidoti from the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). ‘Increasingly…
‘Brighter future hangs in the balance’ in Syria after 14 years of war
The announcement comes as Syria marks 14 years since peaceful protests were met with brutal repression, igniting a conflict that has displaced millions and left the country in ruins. While the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 initially…
Sudan war: Children facing ‘unimaginable suffering’, warns UNICEF chief
“This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, told ambassadors in the Security Council. Since war erupted between the former allies-turned-rivals,…
UN chief hails Kyrgyz-Tajik border treaty breakthrough
The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Sadyr Japarov and Emomali Rahmon, signed the agreement at a meeting in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, earlier today, according to media reports. Closed since 2021, two checkpoints on the nearly 1,000-km-long Tajik-Kyrgyz border have…
Europe grapples with highest number of measles cases in more than 25 years
“Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” warned Dr. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for the European region. A total of 127,350 cases were reported in the region in 2024, double the number of cases…
Putin expresses support for ceasefire but says details must be worked out
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for a U.S. ceasefire proposal to halt Russia’s war with Ukraine but stressed that details would have to be worked out. “We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from…
Deadly Russian aerial attacks hit Ukraine’s Kherson region
Russian aerial attacks overnight killed at least two people in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, officials said Thursday. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram his region came under attack by Russian drones and shelling, and that one other…