International

Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 09:37 UTC
Ex Serbian spies jailed for the murder of an outspoken journalist in 1999

Four former Serbian spies have been jailed for the murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija in 1999. A Belgrade court jailed two of the defendants for 30 years each, while two others received 20-year sentences. Curuvija, an outspoken critic of the late Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, was gunned down outside his apartment.
Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 09:28 UTC
New British passports no longer have “European Union” on the cover

British passports are being issued without the words 'European Union' on the cover, despite the delay to Brexit. The new burgundy passports were introduced from 30 March, the day after the UK was supposed to leave the EU, but some people may still receive the old version until stocks run out.
Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 09:24 UTC
Google’s advisory council on AI only lasted a fortnight

An independent group set up to oversee Google's artificial intelligence efforts has been shut down less than a fortnight after it was launched. The Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC) was due to look at the ethics around AI, machine learning and facial recognition. One member resigned and there were calls for another to be removed.
Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 09:17 UTC
Dutch campaigners hand Shell a lawsuit forcing it to meet Paris climate accords

Climate campaigners marched to Shell's headquarters in the Netherlands on Friday and handed the oil giant a lawsuit aimed at forcing it to meet targets in the Paris accord. Dozens of chanting activists went to the Anglo-Dutch firm's base in The Hague, where they delivered a legal summons with a court date set for Apr 17.
Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 08:38 UTC
Labour says no advance in Brexit talks with Mrs. May; EU demands viable plan before postponing exit

Britain's opposition Labour Party said on Friday that talks with the government on a last-ditch Brexit deal had made no progress, as EU leaders said Prime Minister Theresa May had not convinced them that they should let Britain delay its departure next week.
Saturday, April 6th 2019 - 08:31 UTC
Boeing to drastically cut production of the 737; no lifting of grounding order expected soon

Boeing said on Friday it plans to cut its monthly 737 aircraft production by nearly 20% in the wake of two deadly crashes, signaling it does not expect aviation authorities to allow the plane back in the air anytime soon.
Friday, April 5th 2019 - 17:45 UTC
US Treasury official David Malpass elected as World Bank’s president

David Malpass has been chosen as the president of the World Bank Group (WBG) on Friday after being unanimously elected by the executive board of the organization with no other candidates.
Friday, April 5th 2019 - 17:39 UTC
Spanish, Chinese and Korean songs climbing up the charts, says the phonographic industry

For decades, they have dominated the top ten. But the era of musicians having to sing in English to achieve worldwide success may be drawing to a close, as artists from Asia and South America creep up the charts.
Friday, April 5th 2019 - 11:33 UTC
European Council approves that “Gibraltar is a colony of the British Crown”

The European Council has been branded “irresponsible” over its inflexible position on draft legislation approved by the European Parliament on Thursday in which Gibraltar, at Spain’s insistence, was described as “a colony”.
Friday, April 5th 2019 - 09:25 UTC
Theresa May requests Brexit extension until June 30

Theresa May has written to European Council president Donald Tusk requesting an extension to Article 50 until June 30. The Prime Minister said she will seek to ratify her Withdrawal Agreement before the European Parliament elections on May 23, but will make “responsible preparations” to take part if that does not prove possible.