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'Deadly blockade' leaves Gaza aid work on verge of collapse: UN, Red Cross

Two months into Israel's full blockade on aid into Gaza, humanitarians described Friday horrific scenes of starving, bloodied children and people fighting over water, with aid operations on the "verge of total collapse".

West Bank Palestinians losing hope 100 days into Israeli assault

On a torn-up road near the refugee camp where she once lived, Saja Bawaqneh said she struggled to find hope 100 days after an Israeli offensive in the occupied West Bank forced her to flee.

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How one beheading 50 years ago led France to end the death penalty

On a biting cold morning on November 28, 1972, a Frenchman was guillotined for a murder he did not commit, in a case that so traumatised his lawyer he would spend the rest of his life campaigning to end the death penalty.

Xi tells Kim China willing to work with N.Korea for 'world peace': KCNA

Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Beijing was willing to work with Pyongyang for world peace, North Korean state media said Saturday.

Ukrainian Holocaust survivors find safe haven in Germany

Borys Shyfrin fled as a young child, along with other members of his Jewish family, from the Nazis.

Colombia, rebels, seek US involvement in peace talks

Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), the last recognized rebel group in the country, said Friday they would invite the United States to join their peace process.

No political football for Iran World Cup clash: US coach

United States coach Gregg Berhalter said politics would not come into his team's must-win World Cup clash with Iran following the Americans' battling draw with England on Friday.

Russian shelling kills 15 in Kherson as Ukraine battles to restore power

Russian shelling on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed 15 civilians Friday, officials said, as engineers across the country sought to restore heat, water and power to major cities.

Macron to raise US subsidies in talks with Biden next week

French President Emmanuel Macron will raise concerns about the effects of American industrial subsidies and tax breaks during talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington next week, a top French official said Friday.

EU ministers endorse new migrant plan after France-Italy spat

European interior ministers welcomed Friday an EU plan to better coordinate the handling of migrant arrivals, after a furious row over a refugee rescue boat erupted between Italy and France.

Honduras under state of emergency over gang activity

Police stepped up their presence on the streets of Honduras Friday after President Xiomara Castro declared a state of emergency to quash a rise in gang activity in the Central American nation.

Taliban treatment of women could be crime against humanity: UN expert

Taliban restrictions on the freedoms of women and girls could amount to a crime against humanity, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan said Friday.

Spain PM takes over as Socialist International chief

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was on Friday named head of the Socialist International (SI) as the movement of centre-left parties gathered in Madrid for a three-day congress.

Rebels fight on in eastern DR Congo ahead of truce

M23 rebels were still fighting and advancing on one front of their offensive in east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, civilian and military sources said, just hours before a ceasefire was to come into force.

Kanye West hints at another presidential run

The rapper and fashion designer Kanye West has suggested he will run for president in 2024 and wants Donald Trump to be his running mate.

Putin tells Russian mothers he 'shares' pain of soldier deaths in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday told a group of mothers whose sons are fighting in Ukraine that he shares the pain of those who have lost their loved ones in the conflict.

Protest scrutiny intensifies on Iran despite win

Iran's football stars scored a famous victory with a last gasp World Cup win but scrutiny on the conduct of the team ahead of the decisive clash with the US will only intensify as its leaders press a crackdown on protests at home.

Benin opposition gets green light for legislative election

Benin's opposition, weakened by arrests and the exile of its leaders, has been allowed to participate in January's legislative elections, four years after they were excluded from taking part in the last vote.

UK foreign minister brings new aid to Kyiv

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced new aid for Ukraine on a visit to Kyiv on Friday, including ambulances and support for victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers.

Spanish right on warpath over changes to sedition law

Spain's right-wing opposition is infuriated over government plans to abolish sedition, the charge used against Catalan separatist leaders, decrying the move as a gift to pro-independence parties in exchange for parliamentary support.

Hong Kong cardinal among activists convicted over protest fund

A 90-year-old Hong Kong cardinal was among six dissidents convicted on Friday over their running of a multi-million-dollar defence fund for arrested anti-government protesters.

Nurses join other striking UK staff in two December walkouts

Nurses across most of Britain will next month hold the first strikes in their union's 106-year history, joining a host of other UK workers taking industrial action over pay.

Libya expels over 200 migrants across land borders

Libya on Thursday sent more than 200 illegal migrants back across its land borders, in a rare display of cooperation from the country's divided political institutions.

Congolese give cautious welcome to deal on rebel violence

Congolese and security experts reacted cautiously Thursday to the announcement of an impending truce in an escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bid to ban bullfighting abandoned in France

A bid to ban bullfighting in France was abandoned Thursday in parliament, spelling relief for lovers of the traditional blood sport and dismay for animal rights' activists.

Ukraine battles to reconnect millions in the cold and dark

Ukraine battled Thursday to reconnect water and electricity services to millions of people cut off after Russia launched dozens of cruise missiles that battered Ukraine's already crippled electricity grid.

French MPs vote to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Lawmakers in the French parliament voted Thursday to add the right to abortion to the constitution in response to recent changes in Poland and the United States.

Power cuts and trench foot: winter bites on Ukraine's Donbas front

Soldiers are battling trench foot while the rain and snow have turned roads to mud and ongoing power outages have led many to question how they will manage to endure the coming cold as winter descends on the frontlines in eastern Ukraine.

Palestinians return body of Israeli teen killed in West Bank

The body of an Israeli teenager snatched by Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank was returned to his relatives Thursday, following intense talks to avoid an escalation of violence.

Top Austria festival signs on Russian playwright Davydova

Austria's Salzburg opera, theatre and music festival said Thursday it had appointed exiled Russian playwright Marina Davydova as its drama director.

Brazil election court throws out Bolsonaro challenge, fines party

Brazil's top electoral authority on Wednesday threw out a challenge by President Jair Bolsonaro's party against his election defeat and fined it more than $4 million for bringing the case "in bad faith."

Syria Kurds fear thaw between Assad regime and Turkey

Syria's Kurds, bracing for a Turkish land offensive against their autonomous northern region, face an additional threat: being squeezed by warming ties between their foe Ankara and the Assad regime.

Emperor Charles V's secret code cracked after five centuries

A team of researchers has cracked a five century-old code which reveals a rumoured French plot to kill the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V.

EU fails to agree gas price cap amid deep divisions

EU energy ministers failed Thursday to agree a cap on gas prices to mitigate the energy crunch in Europe amid deep divisions over an initial proposal slammed by many as a "joke".

The Japan Times - Politics (English)