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European Union agriculture ministers are meeting to discuss ways of moving grain vital to global food security out of Ukraine after Russia halted a deal that allowed the exports BRUSSELS -- European Union agriculture minister s met Tuesday to discuss ways of moving grain vital to global food security out of Ukraine after Russia halted a deal that allowed the export s. At the same time, they want to protect prices for farmers in countries bordering the war-ravaged nation. Germany's agriculture minister, Cem Ozdemir, warned that the ministers must seek to balance those two issues without eroding the EU's support for Ukraine in the war sparked by last year's invasion. If cracks open up in EU unity, “the only one who is happy is Vladimir Putin,” he said. The ministers met in Brussels for the first time since Russia pulled the plug last week on the wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where hunger is a grow...

China has removed the country's outspoken foreign minister, Qin Gang, from office and replaced him with his predecessor, Wang Yi BEIJING -- China removed outspoken Foreign Minister Qin Gang from office on Tuesday and replaced him with his predecessor, Wang Yi, in a move that has already fueled rumors over the personal lives and political rivalries of China's Communist Party elite. In its announcement on the national evening news, state broadcaster CCTV gave no reason for Qin’s removal. He had dropped out of sight almost a month ago and the Foreign Ministry has provided no information about his status. That is in keeping with the ruling Communist Party’s standard approach to personnel matters within a highly opaque political system where the media and free speech are severely restricted. The ministry made no comment at its daily briefing on Tuesday. The move comes amid a foreign backlash against China's increasingly aggressive foreign policy, of which Qin was a chief pr...

North Korean state media say leader Kim Jong Un has met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for discussions on military issues and the regional security environment SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to discuss Military issues and the regional security environment, state media said Thursday as the country celebrated the 70th anniversary of an armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim and Shoigu talked Wednesday in the capital, Pyongyang, and reached a consensus on unspecified “matters of mutual concern in the field of national defense and security and on the regional and international security environment.” During the meeting, Shoigu conveyed to Kim a “warm and good letter” signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, KCNA said. The report did not specify the Military matters that were discussed. In a rare case of diplomatic opening since...

Sweden’s prime minister says that police have received several permit applications for the burning of religious texts in the country next week STOCKHOLM -- Sweden’s prime minister said Thursday that police have received several permit applications for the burning of religious texts in the country next week, and that he fears this may escalate tensions further with the Muslim world. In his first public comments since the start of the Quran burning crisis that has severely strained Stockholm’s ties with Muslim nations, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Swedish news agency TT he was “extremely concerned” about a new wave of desecrations. “It’s the police that make those decisions, not me. If they (permits) are granted, we face a number of days with the obvious risk of serious things happening,” Kristersson told TT. A recent string of public Quran desecrations by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Sweden - and more recently in neighboring Denmark - has sparked angry demonstrations ...

France’s education minister has announced a ban on long robes in classrooms starting with the new school year, saying the garments worn mainly by Muslims are testing secularism in the nation’s schools PARIS -- France’s education minister announced Monday a ban on long robes in classrooms starting with the new school year, saying the garments worn mainly by Muslims are testing secularism in the nation’s schools. Critics say that abayas, worn by women, and khamis, the male garb, are no more than a fashion statement. They say the garments do not constitute an ostentatious sign of religion and should not be banned from classrooms under a 2004 law. For Gabriel Attal, the recently appointed Education chief, the garments are “an infringement on secularism,” a foundational principle for France, and, in some cases, a bid to destabilize schools. The 34-year-old Attal, appointed in July, was potentially moving into a minefield with his ban on long robes to “protect” secularism, prompted by growi...

Pope Francis is travelling to Mongolia this week to minister to one of the world's tiniest and newest Catholic communities, the first-ever visit by a Roman pontiff to the East Asian country VATICAN CITY -- When Pope Francis travels to Mongolia this week, he will in some ways be completing a mission begun by the 13th-century Pope Innocent IV, who dispatched emissaries east to ascertain the intentions of the rapidly expanding Mongol Empire and beseech its leaders to halt the bloodshed and convert. Those medieval exchanges between Roman pope and Mongolian khan were full of bellicose demands for submission and conversion, with each side claiming to be acting in the name of God, according to texts of the letters that survive. But the exchanges also showed mutual respect at a time when the Catholic Church was waging Crusades and the Mongol Empire was conquering lands as far west as Hungary in what would become the largest contiguous land empire in world history. Some 800 years later, Fra...

India, the host nation of this year’s Group of 20 summit, has two official names NEW DELHI -- It began with a dinner invitation. How it ends could affect more than a billion people. State-issued invites sent to guests of this week’s G20 meeting referred to India's president, Droupadi Murmu, as “President of Bharat.” Suddenly, in many circles, the question was everywhere: Would the country of more than 1.4 billion now be called by its ancient Sanskrit name? Since then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s minister s, his Hindu nationalist supporters, Bollywood stars and cricketers have made similar public proclamations: India should officially be rebranded as Bharat. India is known by two names: India, used worldwide, and the Sanskrit and Hindi nomenclature of “Bharat.” Now, Modi’s government is signaling that Indians should shed the name India and instead call their country Bharat. The possibility is resonating with Hindu nationalists who form the prime minister’s core vote base. Their ...

Scores of Israeli protesters have flooded the streets outside the home of Israel’s justice minister, the architect of the country’s divisive judicial overhaul, a day before a pivotal Supreme Court hearing on the legality of the changes MODIIN, Israel -- Scores of Israeli protesters on Monday flooded the streets outside the home of Israel's justice minister, the architect of the country's divisive judicial overhaul, a day before a pivotal hearing in which the Supreme Court will decide whether to accept the curbing of its powers. Israeli police said they arrested six people in the central Israeli town of Modiin, home to Justice Minister Yair Levin, on charges of disrupting public order and blocking roads as they protested plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government to weaken the Supreme Court. The judicial plan has triggered one of the biggest domestic crises in Israeli history and exposed the country's bitter divides. On Tuesday, all 15 of Israel...

Greece’s shipping minister has resigned over the death of a man who was pushed off a ferry ramp by a crew member after arriving late ATHENS, Greece -- Greece’s shipping minister resigned Monday over the death of a man who was pushed off a ferry ramp by a crew member after arriving late. A Greek prosecutor brought criminal charges against the captain of the island ferry and three crew members over the encounter in the port of Piraeus, near Athens, that resulted in the Sept. 5 drowning of Andonis Kargiotis, 36. One crew member faces a charge of homicide with possible intent. Amateur video posted online showed the passenger running onto the Blue Horizon ferry’s loading ramp as the ship had cast off its moorings and was about to leave for the island of Crete. He tried to push past two crew members and then was pushed off the ramp when he tried again. The footage showed the man disappearing in water churned up by the ferry leaving the dock as crew members stepped away. The ship was event...

Newly reelected Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sworn in a new Cabinet that includes one of his sons and one of his nephews HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Newly reelected Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa swore in a new Cabinet on Tuesday after appoint ing one of his sons and one of his nephew s to deputy minister posts . Mnangagwa's Cabinet was largely made up of loyalists from his ruling ZANU-PF party. The move to appoint his 34-year-old son David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa as deputy finance minister and nephew Tongai Mnangagwa as deputy tourism minister was criticized by the opposition. Mnangagwa, 80, did not include any members of the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party, which has rejected his victory in elections last month. The credibility of the vote was also questioned by both Western and African observers. Mnangagwa retained many of his old minister s in his new Cabinet while also including several younger members of ZANU-PF. The opposition CCC said Mna...

Six Ukrainian deputy defense ministers have been fired following the dismissal two weeks ago of the defense minister in a corruption scandal, as heavy fighting against Russian forces continues in the east KYIV, Ukraine -- Six Ukrainian deputy defense ministers were fired Monday following the dismissal two weeks ago of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in a corruption scandal, officials said, as heavy fighting against Russian forces continued in the east. Russia claimed to have struck key Ukrainian facilities in air attacks overnight, hitting stores of Storm Shadow missiles and depleted uranium ammunition along with electronic intelligence centers and training facilities for Ukrainian military scouts. The deputy defense ministers fired included Hanna Maliar, Vitalii Deyneha and Denys Sharapov, as well as the state secretary of the Defense Ministry, Kostiantyn Vashchenko, according to the Telegram account of Taras Melnychuk, permanent representative of the Cabinet of Ministers. Melnyc...

Kenya’s foreign affairs minister has been moved to the tourism post as part of a Cabinet reshuffle just days after he said the country’s police in the Kenya-led Haiti peacekeeping mission would be deployed “within a short time.” NAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenya’s foreign affairs minister was moved to the tourism post Wednesday as part of a Cabinet reshuffle just days after the official said the country’s police in the Kenya-led Haiti peacekeeping mission would be deployed “within a short time.” Alfred Mutua’s statement came shortly after the U.N Security Council approved the force Monday and was issued before President William Ruto’s statement. The president did not mention when the deployment would take place. Kenya has committed to leading a multinational force to combat gang violence in Haiti, a plan that has been controversial locally and internationally. As foreign minister, Mutua was vocal about the Haiti mission, giving prospective deployment times and preparations that are underway. His...

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has hailed deepening relations between Russia and North Korea and during his two-day diplomatic trip to Pyongyang. LONDON -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has hailed deepening relations between Russia and North Korea during his two-day diplomatic trip to Pyongyang in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations. Lavrov arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday, flying from Beijing where he had been participating in the Belt and Road Initiative forum alongside President Vladimir Putin and other heads of state from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Footage from Russian state television showed crowds greeting Lavrov in the rain upon his arrival in Pyongyang, alongside a welcoming party waving pompoms. In this photo released by Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via their telegram channel, Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second right, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey...