Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron optimistic on Ukraine but clash over Syria   8%

French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed that changes in Ukraine had bolstered the chances of peace in its east but clashed on Syria, as the Russian leader made a rare bilateral visit to a key EU power.Macron, who hosted Putin at his summer residence in southern France, made clear he wanted to keep contacts with Moscow alive on a range of issues even at a time of spiralling tensions with the West.Speaking as their talks got under way, the pair both expressed…

Israel invites bids on 5G cellular network, aims for 2020 launch   8%

'We are aware of the companies’ current financial situation and the tender takes this into account,' says communications minister

PM Modi wont compromise on data sovereignty   20%

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not compromise on India’s data sovereignty, said telecom, law and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at The Economic Times Startup Awards 2019. The statement comes at a time when there has been intense lobbying by US technology giants to ease the data rules being proposed across a host of policies, including the draft e-commerce policy and data protection bill.

Arun Jaitley's contributions to public life will be remembered forever: Sonia Gandhi   -1%

Condoling his death, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi said Arun Jaitley had a long innings as a public figure, parliamentarian and minister and his contributions to public life will forever be remembered.

The lesson for Australia from Donald Trump's Greenland obsession   -15%

At least Scott Morrison knows how to react should Donald Trump float the idea of buying Tasmania when the Prime Minister visits Washington next month.

Phillip Hammond, the Treasury and the risk of a no-deal Brexit - podcast   7%

Poppy Trowbridge on her work as a special adviser in Hammond’s Treasury as it tried to plan for Brexit and avoid crashing out with no deal. Plus, Carey Gillam on how the biotech company Monsanto tried to destroy her reputation

Parliament is gearing up for an autumn showdown over the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. Philip Hammond, until recently the chancellor of the exchequer, has accused Boris Johnson of shutting down any hope of securing an agreement. But the prime minister’s team continues to argue that Britain must leave the EU by 31 October.

It has been quite a journey for the Treasury: from accusations of “project fear” when it warned against any Brexit at all under George Osborne in 2016, to Hammond’s hopes of minimising the damage with an orderly withdrawal, and now, under Sajid Javid, preparing for the economic impact of no deal.

Arun Jaitley's last 12 tweets show how he missed being politician-in-action  

In a thread of 10 tweets, Jaitley congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for voiding Article 370.

Irans Zarif heading to Asia in push against US sanctions   -12%

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will head to East Asia on Sunday, his office said, as part of a diplomatic push to win relief from biting US sanctions.Zarif would visit China, Japan

G7 Leaders Set To Discuss Fires In the Amazon, Fears Of A U.S. Recession   12%

The leaders of seven leading economies, including the U.S., meet this weekend at Biarritz, France. President Trump will meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the first time.

Editorial: The Omar and Tlaib ban from Israel is a disgrace. True democracies aren't afraid of critics   -47%

It's beyond outrageous that President Trump apparently goaded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into making that decision.

Brexit: Welsh Labour 'to back Remain' if Corbyn becomes PM   12%

First Minister Mark Drakeford goes further than Jeremy Corbyn who does not rule out a Labour deal.

Jaitley's 'sound legal advise' was trusted across political divide: Solicitor General   33%

"It is a great loss for the nation, the Indian polity and the legal fraternity," Mehta told PTI, condoling the former Union Minister's demise.

France's Macron Urges Modi To Respect Rights In Kashmir, Avoid 'Escalation'  

French President Emmanuel Macron has told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Paris is watching developments in Kashmir closely and urged him to respect the rights of people on both sides of the divided Himalayan region.

France delays signing of Internet pledge amid U.S. pressure   -40%

France delayed the planned signing of a pledge by Internet platforms to fight hate speech online amid pressure from the United States, a French minister said, adding that he was still hopeful the U.S. will join the initiative.

The economic challenges facing Italy's next leader   2%

A long list of trials and tribulations awaits Italy’s next prime minister: a mountain of debt, high youth unemployment, a stagnant economy and a potential budget clash with the European Union. FRANCE 24's Business Editor Stephen Carroll takes a closer look at some of the challenges ahead.

Billy Talent criticizes Lisa MacLeod over photo they say 'misrepresents' their meeting  

Canadian band Billy Talent is distancing itself from Ontario's tourism, culture and sport minister after she posted a photo the band says "misrepresents" a meeting they had. 

Six sentences of hope: Defining a unifying vision in the face of the climate crisis | Richard Flanagan   -25%

A sense of futility haunts us all, so I sought to distill in as few words as possible what could be done by us as a people. Writing them, I felt my despair lift

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In 1971, the Liberal Billy McMahon – routinely judged the worst Australian prime minister ever, an achievement not to be underestimated in a nation where the worst routinely rule – created a new portfolio: Environment, Arts and Aboriginal Affairs. Nobody wanted the job: given it, Peter Howson observed that he was responsible for “trees, boongs and poofters.”

What’s changed with our conservative rulers over the last half century? On the evidence of the shame the prime minister, Scott Morrison, visited on all Australians last week at the Pacific Islands Forum, not very much. There he tried to pressure Pacific leaders to remove from the final forum communique and climate change statement all references to coal, to limiting warming to less than 1.5C, and to setting out a plan for net zero emissions by 2050.

Brexit: Corbyn backs Macron on Irish backstop   40%

Jeremy Corbyn says he agrees with President Emmanuel Macron of France that the backstop is indispensable.

Did Boris Johnson put his foot in it in talks with Macron?  

The prime minister has been criticised for putting his foot on a table in front of Emmanuel Macron.

Zimbabwe: Govt Turns to Nuclear Enrichment, With Help From Russia Power   -31%

[New Zimbabwe] Troubled by a recurring electricity crisis, Zimbabwe agreed terms with Russia to engage in uranium exploration and enrichment in a bid to begin generation, Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo revealed this week.

Donald Trump calls off meeting with Danish prime minister over her refusal to sell Greenland to the United States   8%

President Donald Trump says he has postponed a planned meeting with Denmark’s prime minister because of her lack of interest in selling Greenland to the United States.The announcement confirms just how interested he was in purchasing Greenland, an idea that had initially been dismissed as a joke by some, but which the White House later insisted had a serious purpose because of the territory’s strategic location.“Based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no…

Brexit: Boris Johnson's letter to the EU  

Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the Irish backstop Brexit plan as "anti-democratic".

Donald Trump postponed Denmark visit in a tweet after Greenland rebuff. Now the Danes are insulted   18%

Danish lawmakers on Wednesday reacted in fury to US President Donald Trump’s postponement of his two-day visit in early September to Denmark after its prime minister said she was not interested in selling him the autonomous island of Greenland.Parliamentarians and former government ministers slammed the president’s behaviour as juvenile, undiplomatic and insulting, though the government itself has yet to comment on the visit’s cancellation and instead scheduled a news conference for the…

I want a deal: UK PM Johnson presses for new Brexit negotiations, but French leader Macron rules out major compromises   1%

French leader Emmanuel Macron backed the idea of a month of further talks to find a solution to Brexit while ruling out major compromises as he met British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for talks on Thursday.Like German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, Macron supported allowing another 30 days to find a solution to the vexed issue of the Irish border which has bedevilled negotiations since 2017.“We need to try to have a useful month,” Macron said alongside Johnson who insisted that…

Macron hosts Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif for talks on nuclear deal   -6%

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with Iran’s foreign minister Friday ahead of a G7 meeting, where he will attempt to soothe tensions between Tehran and Washington at what risks being a stormy summit.

Argentine peso falls despite new economy chief's vow to stabilize it   -25%

Argentina will stand by the fiscal targets it has agreed with the International Monetary Fund and work to stabilize the peso, the country's new treasury minister said on Tuesday in remarks that failed

Zarif praises Macron nuke crisis suggestions   5%

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Friday that suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron about defusing the crisis over Iran’s nuclear drive went in the right direction, but that more work needed to be done.

US$16 billion hoax: reports of Chinese loan for East Timor gas project were politically motivated, says foreign minister   1%

East Timor wants to cooperate with China in the oil and gas industry, but reports that Dili would borrow US$16 billion from China’s Export-Import Bank to finance one such project were a “hoax”, the country’s Foreign Minister Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares declared.Reports of the loan were “blown up by politically motivated people around the region”, Soares said, adding that East Timor actually needs much less to tap some of its last remaining oil and gas resources in the offshore Greater Sunrise…

Former Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley dies aged 66   3%

Arun Jaitley, the former Indian finance minister and one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s closest associates, died in hospital on Saturday, nearly two weeks after he was admitted following breathing difficulties, officials said.

Turkey interested in Lebanon's economic development: FM   6%

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that his country was interested in bolstering the Lebanese economy and would continue to support it.

Relief for investors as govt withdraws FPI surcharge   8%

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced withdrawal of 'enhanced surcharge' levied on foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and restored the pre-Budget position. The move was very much anticipated from the Dalal Street which has been reeling under intense pressure following investors pulling out money.

India & Pakistan must solve Kashmir crisis among themselves, without 3rd party provocations Macron   3%

The Kashmir crisis can and must be solved bilaterally, between India and Pakistan, so any third parties seeking to interfere despite the risk of inciting more violence should stay clear, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed.
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Vietnam and Australia oppose disruptions to South China Sea oil and gas projects  

Vietnam and Australia have voiced united opposition to Chinese activities in the South China Sea, a day after the United States accused China of coercion in the disputed waters.During a meeting in Hanoi on Friday between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the leaders expressed “serious concerns” about developments in the South China Sea, including land reclamation and militarisation of disputed features.“They also expressed concern about…

Abrogation of Article 370 led to complete integration of J with Indian Union: Amit Shah   10%

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the abrogation of Article 370 enabled the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Union. "The complete merger of Jammu and Kashmir with Indian Union did not happen with the existence of Article 370," he said.

Brexit: Michael Gove pledges to ensure traffic flows through ports  

The minister in charge of no-deal planning again dismisses predictions of chaos at the ports.

UK strips citizenship from dual national Jihadi Jack, angering Canada  

Britain has revoked the citizenship of a dual national Muslim convert to the Islamic State group dubbed “Jihadi Jack” being held in northern Syria, leading Canada to accuse the UK of offloading its responsibilities.The move targeting Jack Letts, 24, who was a dual UK-Canadian national, has prompted a diplomatic row with Ottawa, Britain’s Mail on Sunday reported.Former prime minister Theresa May approved the decision – which had been made by then-interior minister Sajid Javid – in one of her…

A campaign loss on climate change would turn the issue into a political 'loser': Trudeau   7%

Climate change will be seen as an "electoral loser" by future governments if Canadians vote for a party that doesn't take real action on the issue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says in a new book.

NDA house divided on electric mobility plan   25%

The latest case in point being transport minister Nitin Gadkari who is of the view that the government will not set a specific deadline for automakers to switch to EVs and nor will it ban production of petrol and diesel vehicles but instead let market forces decide on the preferred technology.

Iran ready to work on French deal proposals   -4%

Iran is prepared to work on French proposals to salvage the international nuclear deal that Tehran signed with world powers in 2015 but it will not tolerate U.S. interference in the Gulf, its foreign minister said Thursday.

Lesbian PM Or Not, Serbia Blocks Gays' Path To Parenthood   -20%

The partner of Serbia's lesbian prime minister recently gave birth via artificial insemination. Now its Health Ministry won't let same-sex couples undergo medical procedures in Serbia that would allow them to have children.