Trains cancelled, schools closed: France scrambled to make contingency plans on Tuesday for a huge strike against pension overhauls that poses one of the biggest challenges yet to President Emmanuel Macron's sweeping reform drive.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday promised to “stay out” of Britain's election campaign during a two-day visit, while also seeking to defuse a key attack line against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over healthcare.
A rare canvas by French artist Paul Gauguin from his time in Tahiti fetched €9.5 million (US$10.5 million) in Paris on Tuesday, nearly twice its estimated value, the auction house said.
Antarctica Day was inaugurated in 2010 to celebrate the 1st December 1959 signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which was adopted “with the interests of science and the progress of all mankind.” Antarctica Day was initiated by the Foundation for the Good Governance of International Spaces as an annual event to build global awareness of this landmark institution, celebrating this milestone of peace in our civilization with hope and inspiration for future generations.
Two external members of the Nobel literature prize committee quit on Monday after criticizing the scandal-hit Swedish Academy. The 233-year-old Academy was forced to introduce several new measures after a sex scandal involving the husband of a former member escalated into a bitter row that meant it had to postpone the award for 2018.
The U.S. government on Monday said it may slap punitive duties of up to 100% on US$2.4 billion in imports from France of Champagne, handbags, cheese and other products, after concluding that France’s new digital services tax would harm U.S. tech companies.
US President Donald Trump leaves on Monday for a NATO summit in London and he is under pressure from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resist the temptation to wade into the British election campaign coming up later in December.
American actor Leonardo DiCaprio denied a claim by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro that he had helped fund groups allegedly linked to fires in the Amazon rain forest.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney has been appointed United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance. Mr. Carney will take up his new post once his term as governor ends on 31 January 2020.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched this Monday a gas pipeline that is the first of three ambitious projects intended to cement Moscow's role as top gas exporter.