EUROPE DIPLOMATIC

Spanish Steps sitting ban

Sitting on Rome‘s Spanish Steps ( Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) is no longer allowed as the local police is imperative to apply the rules in a more stringent way, sources said to ANSA news agency. The famous steps are also considered to be a monument, meaning sitting or lying on them is banned. The film…

International Cat Day: cats forever!

International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of across the world recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets. The festivities were put together for the first time in 2002 by, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), among other animal rights groups, to celebrate the most popular pet on…

Kyrgyzstan ex-President arrest failed

The speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament Dastan Dzhumabekov interrupted his vacation and headed to the capital Bishkek, his secretary told Akipress. The crisis meeting was proposed by a few Members of Parliament after the failure of arrest of ex-President Almazbek Atambayev, resulted in clashes between commandos and the supporters, who considered the action was politically motivated and…

EU-UK Brexit deal stays intact

The European Commission is willing to discuss Brexit with the UK over the coming weeks, a spokeswoman said on August 6. However the decision of keeping intact the negotiated with Theresa May government deal remains unchanged. The Commission expressed readiness to add “words” to it in forms of declarations. #Brexit deal stays intact, only political declarations…

Modern Tate incident caused by “schizophrenia”

The teenager charged with pushing a six-year-old French tourist boy off a balcony at the Tate Modern Gallery was a “schizophrenia” patient who had escaped from his carers, British authorities said. The suspect of the crime reportedly stayed at a ‘secure home’ and was only allowed to leave with at least two minders accompanying him….

EU expects release of Moscow protesters

Tbe European Union expects an “immediate release” of over 600 peaceful protesters, detained by police in Moscow, the spokesperson of the European External Action Service wrote in her Twitter micro blog. 🇷🇺 #Russia: Right to freedom of assembly & expression are fundamental to democracy, without any attempts to silence opposition representatives. 🇪🇺expects immediate release of…

Siberia fires: illegal timber trade with China

Among major causes of devastating Sibera fires Duma Ecology committee chair Vladimir Bourmatov points at the activities of illegal lumberjacks, or “black loggers”. At present upon the request of the State Duma, the government and the Investigative committee of the Russian Federation, have launched the investigation into the occurrence of 500 epicenters of forest blaze as cause of illegal human…

‘Gregoretti’ migrants distributed between EU states

Italy Interior Minister Matteo Salvini would soon be giving the go-ahead to disembarking over 100 rescued migrants still on board the Gregoretti coast guard vessel, according to his Facebook page announcement. The boat has been in the Augusta port since July 27. Salvini made it clear that he would not let them disembark until an agreement…

Johnson intends to drop Irish “backstop”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held talks in Northern Ireland on July 31 in a bid to untangle the deadlock over the Irish border “backstop” that has twice scuppered all efforts to secure an orderly withdrawal from the European Union. (Image:archive). Today PM @BorisJohnson is in Northern Ireland with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland…

Strong European support to JCPOA

An extraordinary meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) took place in Vienna on 28 July 2019 upon the request of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The meeting was held in order to discuss the need regarding the full and effective implementation of…