PARIS -- A group of 14 countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday, strongly condemning Israel's decision to establish 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning that such moves violate the international law.
The joint statement was co-signed by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom, according to French foreign ministry. (Israel-West Bank-Joint Statement)
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BRUSSELS -- The European Union (EU), French, German, and British senior officials on Wednesday strongly condemned a U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on five European individuals, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton.
Alleging their involvement in content censorship on U.S. social media platforms, the U.S. State Department on Tuesday issued visa restrictions on Breton, Imran Ahmed, a British citizen and chief executive of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon from the German non-profit organization HateAid, and Clare Melford, a co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index.
In response, the EU warned that it would act "swiftly and decisively" to defend the bloc's regulatory autonomy if needed. "Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States across the democratic world," a Commission spokesperson said in an attributable response to Xinhua. (EU-US-Digital Service)
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RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced a broad reform program on Wednesday intended to modernize governance and prepare for statehood, a move quickly dismissed by Hamas as a "unilateral" decision lacking national consensus.
According to the official WAFA news agency, the plan seeks to reinforce the rule of law, improve transparency, and ensure a separation of powers to bolster public confidence in the Palestinian Authority.
Proposed measures include a review of legislation governing political and economic life, with a specific focus on financial oversight, the judiciary, and anti-corruption safeguards. The reforms also aim to grant oversight bodies greater independence. (Palestine-Reform)
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ADEN -- Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Houthi group signed an agreement on Wednesday to recover and exchange thousands of bodies from both sides of the conflict, said officials from the two warring parties.
Abdul Qader al-Murtada, head of the Houthis' prisoner affairs committee, said on social media platform X that the deal covers bodies from all frontlines and regions in Yemen, and that joint field committees will be formed for implementation.
Hadi Haig, head of the Yemeni government's prisoner exchange committee, confirmed the agreement. (Yemen-Prisoner) Enditem
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