Month: May 2019

In the wee small hours of the morning, last week in Kazakhstan, my wife and I encountered every hotel guest’s worst nightmare. Asleep in our “George Galloway: My encounter with a Quiet American (and a not so quiet American)”

Netflix has drawn the ire of Jewish groups for a “tasteless” show featuring Adolf Hitler ‘roasting’ Anne Frank. The streaming giant responded that the show “Netflix slammed for ‘tasteless’ sketch featuring Anne Frank ‘roasted’ by Hitler”

Israel’s Knesset has voted to dissolve, ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition-forming struggles and triggering new elections. The vote passed its second reading shortly after “Israeli parliament votes to dissolve after Netanyahu fails to form government”

Latvia’s parliament has elected former European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as the next president on Wednesday, a role that brings with it limited “Latvian MPs elect former judge Levits as new president”

The Bluetooth, SD and Wi-Fi alliances, which stripped Huawei of membership after US President Donald Trump declared its products a national security risk, have reinstated “Bluetooth, SD and Wi-Fi aliances quietly reinstate Huawei in defiance of US ban”

Kiev has endured trade imbalances with most of its European partners, according to the latest data from the country’s statistics agency. Ukraine is still struggling “Ukraine blames EU for bad integration pact, after ousting president who refused to seal the deal”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his cabinet kicked off controversy after conducting an official meeting on Israeli soil, prompting a flurry of criticism from watchdog “‘Playing secretary of state’: Israel-based meeting of Florida cabinet triggers scandal & suit”

Russian slapping champion Vasiliy ‘The Dumpling’ Kamotskiy proved he’s ready to take on all comers in his quest to be recognized as the ultimate slapper, “Clash of the titans! Russian slap champ ‘The Dumpling’ takes on foot-long bicep guy ‘Bazooka Arms’”

When throwing out serious accusations, it’s always good to back up one’s claims with proof, but the need for evidence seems to have gone out “‘Highly likely’ is the new evidence: Five times Western officials had no proof but media fell for it”

The European Commission has urged EU states to open membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia, saying the Balkan countries “have delivered on reforms,” AP “Mogherini recommends opening EU accession talks with N. Macedonia, Albania”