Month: October 2022

China Stymies Norwegian Mountaineer’s Bid for Record

Norwegian climber Kristin Harila on Friday abandoned for now her bid to scale the world’s 14 highest peaks in record time, after China refused to grant her a permit for the final two. Harila had until November 4 to conquer the summits of Shishapangma and Cho Oyu in Tibet to make history and beat the world record. The record was set in 2019 by Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, who scaled the 14 “super peaks” above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) in just six months and six days. “It is over for now,” Harila, 36, wrote in an Instagram message with emojis …

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Cypriot Envoy Says Any Maritime Border Dispute With Lebanon ‘Easily’ Resolved

A Cypriot delegation in Lebanon on Friday for talks on maritime border delineation between the two countries said any disputes during that process could be easily resolved. “There is no problem between Lebanon and Cyprus that cannot be resolved easily,” said Cypriot special envoy Tasos Tzionis, after meeting with outgoing Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Lebanon and Cyprus reached a maritime border agreement in 2007, but it was never ratified by Lebanon’s parliament and therefore never went into force. Cyprus delineated its maritime exclusive economic zone vis-a-vis Israel in 2010. Lebanon and Israel officially delineated their contested sea boundary Thursday, following …

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Another Belarusian Journalist Handed Prison Term Amid Crackdown on Civil Society 

The Minsk City Court has sentenced journalist Ales Lyubyanchuk to three years in prison amid a crackdown on independent media and civil society in Belarus under authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAZh) said Thursday that Judge Alena Ananich had sentenced the journalist after finding him guilty of creating an extremist group and taking part in its activities. BAZh demanded that Belarusian authorities immediately release Lyubyanchuk, saying his incarceration was “retaliation for his journalistic activities.” Lyubyanchuk, who cooperated with various media outlets, including Poland’s Belsat news agency, actively covered nationwide mass protests sparked by an August 2020 …

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New Swedish Government to Tighten Migration Policy  

Sweden has historically been viewed as Europe’s most welcoming country for refugees, but observers say that changed in 2015 when the government decided to close its borders. The election in September of a new government steered by the far-right Sweden Democrats has further tightened migration policy. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s Moderate Party, the Liberals and Christian Democrats constitute Sweden’s new ruling coalition. But observers say the Sweden Democrats, who have neo-Nazi roots and won the largest number of parliamentary seats, hold enormous sway over the coalition, setting far-reaching policies on migration and other key issues. Observers say the Sweden Democrats …

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Кулеба наголосив українським послам по світу на створенні міжнародних партнерств з виробництва зброї для України

Міністр закордонних справ Дмитро Кулеба під час онлайн-наради з послами України по світу обговорив питання внеску посольств у зміцнення обороноздатності нашої держави, повідомляє пресслужба МЗС. «На самому початку російського вторгнення президент Володимир Зеленський поставив українській дипломатії завдання максимально активізувати співпрацю із міжнародними партнерами в військовій сфері… Тепер нагальною стала потреба розвитку вітчизняного оборонно-промислового комплексу та потужностей виготовлення, обслуговування і ремонту зброї, втілення стратегічних довготривалих проєктів. Для цього потрібно створювати партнерства з іншими країнами і ми будемо приділяти цьому питанню пріоритетне значення. Це стане новим етапом зміцнення обороноздатності України», – наголосив Кулеба. За його словами, серед пріоритетів для української дипломатії: – …

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