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French car manufacturer Peugeot has bought India’s most iconic car brand from its maker Hindustan Motors in a deal that signifies the passing of an era in India’s motoring history.   Over the weekend, the C.K. Birla Group that owns Hindustan Motors said it had signed an agreement with Peugeot SA to sell the Ambassador for 800 million rupees ($12 million).   The hulking Ambassador sedan remained largely unchanged for more than five decades, ferrying India’s elite, including prime ministers, visiting heads of states and celebrities. It was a throwback to an era when India’s policy of economic self-sufficiency meant …

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A prominent member of a German nationalist party could face expulsion over a speech in which he suggested that the country end its tradition of acknowledging and atoning for its Nazi past. Alternative for Germany said party leaders voted by the necessary two-thirds majority Monday to open expulsion proceedings against Bjoern Hoecke, who heads its branch in the eastern state of Thuringia. The decision comes as the party prepares for a national election in September in which it hopes to enter parliament for the first time. Hoecke last month said Germany needs to perform a “180-degree turn” when it comes …

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Tens of thousands of Romanians took to the streets Sunday in freezing cold weather, demanding the government resign as they accused it of attempting to water down anti-corruption laws.  “Thieves! Resign!” chanted protesters gathered in Victory Square to mark the 13th consecutive day of anti-government demonstrations in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.  An estimated crowd of 50,000 protesters took part in the Bucharest march, according to Romanian media reports.  Authorities did not give any number of their own.  Responding to a call on social media, the protesters held up their mobile phone flashlights against colored pieces of paper, lighting up the …

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Russia is hosting a conference in Moscow this week that will bring together Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India and Iran to discuss a possible solution of the conflict in Afghanistan. This meeting is part of Russia’s effort at playing a more pro-active role in Afghanistan for the first time since its invasion of the country in 1979. Its efforts, however, have encountered controversies at the very outset. The last conference Moscow hosted on Afghanistan in December included only China and Pakistan, prompting a strong protest from the Afghan government. The one this week is more inclusive of the regional stakeholders, but …

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 A top White House aide sidestepped repeated chances Sunday to publicly defend embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn following reports that he engaged in conversations with a Russian diplomat about U.S. sanctions before Trump’s inauguration. The uncertainty comes as Trump is dealing with North Korea’s apparent first missile launch of the year and his presidency, along with visits this week from the leaders of Israel and Canada. Trump has yet to comment on the allegations against Flynn, and a top aide dispatched to represent the administration on the Sunday news shows skirted questions on the topic, saying it was not …

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Glamour was shot through with grit at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday. Frothy musical “La La Land” took five prizes including best picture, but major awards also went to tough welfare-state drama “I, Daniel Blake” and fractured-family stories “Lion” and “Manchester by the Sea.” In keeping with an awards season that has coincided with a wrenching change of government in the United States, even “La La Land’s” prizes came with a political tinge. Accepting the best-actress trophy for playing a barista who dreams of Hollywood stardom, Emma Stone said that “this country and the US, and the world …

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Former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected Germany’s president on Sunday, the 12th person to hold the largely ceremonial post in the post-war era. Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who had served as foreign minister until last month, won 931 of the 1,260 votes by lawmakers and representatives of Germany’s 16 federal states. His predecessor, Joachim Gauck, steps down on March 18. The German constitution mandates that a special assembly is convened to elect presidents. It includes 630 lawmakers in the Bundestag lower house and an equal number of representatives from the federal states.     …

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A majority of voters have approved a referendum supported by the Swiss government and most major parties to make it easier for the grandchildren of third generation immigrants to acquire citizenship.  A Swiss television presenter gets set to announce the results of the day’s voting at the start of a two-hour special debate and analysis of the outcome. Of the three referendum on the ballot, the issue of easing citizenship rules for young immigrants was clearly the most contentious.    It was vigorously opposed by the right wing Swiss Peoples’ Party, which waged a campaign warning that any relaxation of …

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German firefighters on Sunday evacuated hundreds of passengers at Hamburg Airport after about 50 people were injured by an unknown hazardous material that likely spread through the airport’s air conditioning system.   All flights were halted for several hours due to the evacuation, but air traffic started running again around 2 p.m., airport spokeswoman Karen Stein said.   More than 50 people — both passengers and staff — had complained about breathing problems, burning eyes and nausea. Firefighters were examining them to find out whether they had to be taken to the hospital, the German news agency dpa reported.   Those who …

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