International

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 04:50 UTC

  Known Tunisian jihadist main suspect in Berlin lorry attack

  

  After it became clear that the main suspect of driving the lorry that killed 11 people Monday in a Christmas market in Berlin was a 24-year-old Tunisian with a criminal record as a jihadist, Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her hopes that the alleged perpetrator, currently at large, is brought to justice as soon as possible.

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 03:20 UTC

  UK resolutely committed to Falklands' self determination; better relations with Argentina is in everyone's interests

  

  The United Kingdom is resolutely committed to the Islanders right to self determination assured the Prime Minister Theresa May in her Christmas message to the Falklands. Mrs. May also pointed out that a better relationship with Argentina is in everyone’s interests, and in time, this should reap the rewards through benefits to the Islands' economy, improving trade and tourism, and developing the hydrocarbons and fisheries industries.<br /><br />
  The full message from Mrs. May published in this week's Penguin News, follows:

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 01:27 UTC

  Extreme right in Europe target Merkel's refugees policy for the Berlin truck attack

  

  Germany’s anti-immigrant party led a populist chorus from around Europe in pinning the blame for the Berlin truck attack on the policies of Angela Merkel. The Chancellor's acceptance of more than a million Middle Eastern refugees last year set the scene for an Islamist massacre on German soil, Alternative for Germany (AfD) claimed.

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 01:07 UTC

  Russia, Iran and Turkey work on a deal to end Syrian civil war and fight terrorism

  

  Russia, Iran and Turkey agree that the priority in Syria is fighting “terrorism” and not the removal of Bashar al-Assad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after a tripartite summit on Tuesday in Moscow. Lavrov welcomed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the Russian capital for talks on the Syrian conflict as the evacuation of the last rebel-held enclave in Aleppo continued.

• Friday, December 23rd 2016 - 00:25 UTC

  Greek present for Trump: Obama and Trudeau ban offshore oil and gas drilling in Atlantic and Arctic waters

  

  In the final stretch of his term President Barack Obama is implementing new environmental protections that stand to thwart Donald Trump's agenda on oil and gas extraction in ways that may prove difficult for the president-elect to roll back. The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it will place an indefinite ban on offshore oil and gas drilling across large swaths of Atlantic and Arctic waters.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 20:09 UTC

  Maduro reopens Colombian border after eight days

  

  The government of Nicolás Maduro Tuesday reopened its border with Colombia, eight days after closing it to combat smuggling, it was announced.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 16:56 UTC

  ISIS claims responsibility for Berlin lorry attack

  

  The Islamic State (ISIS) terror organization Tuesday admitted to being behind Monday's attack, when a lorry driven by one of its “soldiers,” crashed into a Berlin Christmas market, leaving 12 people dead.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 05:56 UTC

  Kerry told movement of Gullen behind killing of Russian ambassador

  

  Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry during which Barack Obama's chief diplomat was informed that the movement of Fethullah Gullen was behind Monday's assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara, the official newsagency Anadolu reported.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2016 - 01:12 UTC

  Falklands' additional air link to South America has a target launch date: October 2017

  

  Argentina, United Kingdom and Falkland Islands representatives have agreed on a process for an additional air service to the Falklands, from either Brazil or Chile, with a target launch date of October 2017, and likewise will address scientific data exchange in relation to fish stocks in the South Atlantic, particularly regarding the migratory Illex stock.

• Tuesday, December 20th 2016 - 08:32 UTC

  12 people killed as lorry crams into Berlin German Christmas market

  

  A Polish-registered lorry crammed into a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 50, it was reported. A suspect believed to be the driver at the time of the impact was arrested, Berlin police said.