Albert Wagner 
Vienna, Austria – An 84-year-old Austrian man who traveled to Afghanistan last year and was arrested there was released by the country’s Taliban rulers, the Austrian government said Sunday. The Austrian Foreign Ministry in a statement identified the man as Herbert Fritz and said he arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on Sunday … Read more
New York – Leap year. It’s a delight for the calendar and math nerds among us. So how did it all begin and why? Have a look at some of the numbers, history and lore behind the (not quite) every four year phenom that adds a 29th day to February. BY THE … Read more
TALLINN, Estonia – Polls opened Sunday in Belarus’ tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections that are set to cement the steely rule of the country’s authoritarian leader despite calls for a boycott from the opposition, which dismissed the balloting as a “senseless farce.” President Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron hand … Read more
Warsaw, Poland – As hundreds of people chanted “Slava Ukraini” in front of the Polish Parliament to demonstrate against Vladmir Putin’s war on Ukraine, one young woman draped in the yellow and blue flag of her homeland, stood on the periphery of the crowd with tears welling in her eyes. Victoria Hrynichyshun, a … Read more
Tel Aviv, Israel – Mediators are making progress on an agreement for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and the release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, Israeli media reported Sunday. Israel’s War Cabinet met to discuss the proposal late Saturday, but there was … Read more
Ottawa – Canada’s ambassador to Poland says the country wants allies to remain engaged in the war that has been raging on the other side of its border for two years. Speaking on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Catherine Godin says the war presents a real and present threat … Read more
Ottawa – The federal information watchdog says she will look into allegations about destruction of records related to the controversial ArriveCan app. In a statement late Friday, information commissioner Caroline Maynard said she has initiated an investigation into matters related to requesting and obtaining records regarding ArriveCan since March 2020. Maynard, an … Read more
China’s ambassador in Ottawa says he wants Canadian business to collaborate with Beijing on its Belt and Road Initiative, amid scrutiny from Western governments. Ambassador Cong Peiwu says Canada can use the initiative to reduce global carbon emissions and fight poverty. He rejects warnings by Canada’s peers that the plan allows Beijing … Read more
Lewiston, Maine – The head of the U.S. federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says he fears that a drumbeat of mass shootings and other gun violence across the United States could make Americans numb to the bloodshed, fostering apathy to finding solutions rather than galvanizing communities to act. Director Steve … Read more
Kyiv, Ukraine – Justin Trudeau wrapped up a surprise trip to war-torn Ukraine with a blistering attack on Vladimir Putin, calling the Russian leader a “weakling” who uses police and the military to crush his opposition. Speaking with reporters at the end of his visit to the capital Kyiv, Trudeau accused Putin of “executing” opposition … Read more
