Europe

MOSCOW, Jan 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed a new government, keeping key officials including the ministers of foreign affairs and defence.

The list of appointments released by the Kremlin showed Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu would be staying on in the government.

The government of Putin’s longtime ally Dmitry Medvedev resigned Wednesday last week , a few hours after the president announced a series of constitutional reforms.

LONDON, Jan 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — After years of acrimonious debate, British lawmakers on Wednesday finally approved the terms of their country’s historic departure from the European Union — due in just nine days time.

MPs in the lower House of Commons had already backed the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which ratifies the divorce deal that Prime Minister Boris Johnson struck with Brussels last year.

But the unelected upper House of Lords made some changes this week, including on the rights of EU citizens and child refugees after Brexit.

LESBOS ISLAND (Greece), Jan 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of residents on Greek islands hosting large migrant camps on Wednesday kicked off a day of protests, demanding the immediate removal of asylum-seekers.

The islands of Lesbos, Samos and Chios staged a general strike, shutting down shops and public services and rallying in central squares, many protesters waving Greek flags.

“We want our islands back, we want our lives back,” was the main slogan.

GENEVA, Jan 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO) extended to Thursday its emergency talks on whether the novel coronavirus outbreak in China constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

“There was an excellent discussion during the meeting today, but it was also clear that to proceed, we need more information,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of an Emergency Committee.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ highest court is set to rule Thursday on whether to order Myanmar to halt what has been described as a genocidal campaign against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

The International Court of Justice decision comes in a case brought by the African nation of Gambia on behalf of an organization of Muslim nations that accuses Myanmar of genocide in its crackdown on the Rohingya.

GROZNY, January 22. /TASS/: Chechnya's head Ramzan Kadyrov has said he hopes that the new Russian government will achieve the goals set by President Vladimir Putin in close cooperation with regions.

"It is known that the government has colossal tasks outlined in Russian President Vladimir Putin's address to the Federal Assembly," Kadyrov wrote on his Telegram account. "I am confident that they will be fulfilled with close cooperation with regions. Today, every official, no matter his position, should work three times as hard," he added.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russia’s RTI Joint Stock Company will complete the upgrade project for Russia’s missile attack warning system radar stations by the end of this year, RTI CEO Pavel Laptayev told TASS. In particular, the company plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) elements to the radar system’s electronics.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: An explosion occurred at night on the burning Enigma Astralis trawler in the Sea of Okhotsk, which is carrying diesel fuel, a source at the incident scene told TASS on Wednesday, warning that a new blast could hit the vessel.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russia’s Federation Council on Wednesday appointed Igor Krasnov as Russia’s Prosecutor-General. The decision was approved unanimously.

President Vladimir Putin submitted Krasnov’s candidature to the Federation Council on Monday. Krasnov, 44, Lieutenant-General of Justice, in his previous capacity of deputy chief of the Investigative Committee oversaw the Main Directorate for Special Investigations and the Main Investigative Department.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has tasked the Finance Ministry and Labor Ministry with drafting amendments to the law on federal budget and the law on budget of the Pension Fund aimed at implementation of President Vladimir Putin’s State of the Nation Address by February 11, according to the statement released on the government’s website on Wednesday.