Europe

    The identity of the driver of the truck, which rammed into the crowd at Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, has been confirmed as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. Claiming responsibility for the attack, Islamic State on July 16 issued a statement in its affiliated news agency Amaq saying: "The person who carried out the operation in Nice, France, to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State." The police also arrested three more people in connection with the attack. On July 14, 2016, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove through the crowd for around 1.2 miles (two kilometers), which left at least 84 dead and injured hundreds at the famous Promenade des Anglais after a firework display. He was later neutralized by the security forces. The Tunisian man who killed at least 8...

    World leaders are calling for calm as Turkey has become engulfed in a coup attempt by the military against President Erdogan. The situation remains unclear but there have been numerous reports of violence. Officials have been calling for calm and restraint in the Nato-member state but were united in their confusion over the situation. President Barack Obama has expressed his support for the 'democratically elected' government in Turkey, according to AFP news agency. The country is a key Nato ally and is of huge strategic significance. Moscow expressed grave concern about events in the country, and it had instructed officials to help Russian nationals in Turkey return home at the earliest opportunity. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters President Vladimir Putin w...

    The leaders of ASEM, a grouping of Asian and European nations, wrapped up their summit on Saturday with taking a vow to fight terrorism and violent extremism unitedly as well as ensure cyber security for the benefits of the people of two continents, reports bss. "To ensure the continuity of initiatives that evolve from informal dialogue to tangible outcomes, ASEM will focus on areas of common interest like countering terrorism and violent extremism, maritime safety and security, fighting piracy and armed robbery at sea, as well as human and drug trafficking, cyber security and cyber-crime," the leaders said in the declaration that was adopted on the concluding day of the summit. The declaration was adopted by the leaders of the ASEM partner countries as well as heads of Eu...

    A Canadian priest was charged this week for stealing more than half a million dollars (US$400,000) intended for the resettlement of Syrian refugees, and then gambling it away. Amer Saka, 51, a clergyman of the Chaldean Catholic Church -- based in Baghdad -- had allegedly collected the funds from more than 20 donors to support refugees arriving from the war-torn nation, according to local police. "This investigation spanned throughout the province of Ontario, the United States and other countries where refugees were attempting to come to Canada," police in London, Ontario said in a statement on Thursday. Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Canada, told The London Free Press that Saka had called him to say he had gambled and lost all of the money....

    The idea of modern banking was born in Siena in 1624, when the Medici Grand Duke decided to guarantee accounts held at Monte dei Paschi, the world’s oldest bank, with the proceeds of pasture he held in the Maremma in south-western Tuscany. Nearly 400 years later, the principle established by the Tuscan ruler – that account holders and investors are protected by the state – lies at the heart of a crisis at Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) that is worrying financial markets around the world. The country’s third-largest lender has already been bailed out twice in modern Italian history but is likely to need a third multibillion-euro intervention by the Italian government – a move that would need Brussels to break new rules designed to prevent such taxpayer bailouts after the 2...

    A truck rammed into the crowd at Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, reportedly killing at least 80 people and injuring hundreds at the famous Promenade des Anglais after a firework display on July 14, 2016. The vehicle drove through the crowd for around 1.2 miles (two kilometers), before the driver was neutralized by the security forces. Officials are said to be investigating if the driver was working alone or affiliated with a terrorist group At least 84 people have been killed in the French city of Nice after an armed man drove a truck at full speed for 2km through a crowd who had gathered to watch the Bastille Day fireworks display over the seafront. The attack on France’s national day came eight months after 130 people were killed in Paris in coordinated attack...

    Jean-Marc Ayrault says new foreign secretary told a lot of lies to the British people. Britain’s new foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, is a liar with his back against the wall, his French counterpart has said. Jean-Marc Ayrault, who met Johnson when the two men were both mayors, was asked on French radio if he was surprised by Johnson’s appointment. “I don’t know if it surprised me,” he said. “It’s a sign of the British political crisis that has come out of the referendum vote.” He said France needed a partner it could negotiate with who was “clear, credible and who could be trusted”. The Europe 1 radio interviewer told Mr Ayrault: “I’ve got the impression you’re scared of being faced with the fanciful Boris Johnson,” to which the French foreign minister replied: “No, I...

    Rescuers are still searching the wreckage of two passenger trains that ploughed into each other at high speed in southern Italy - killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens. Three carriages were torn apart by the violence of the impact after the two trains hit each other while travelling down the same stretch of track linking the small towns of Corato and Andria in the southeastern Puglia region. Rescuers warned the death toll could climb higher as some of the 50 injured are still fighting for life and the wreckage is still being searched. There was no immediate indication of what had caused one of Italy's worst train disasters in recent years, but the government promised a full and swift investigation. Investigators managed to find the black box of one train and a fra...

    Spain on Monday summoned Britain's ambassador following what it said were "reckless" moves by a Gibraltar police patrol boat, the latest in a long line of diplomatic spats over the disputed territory. The foreign ministry said a Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) patrol boat "went on a collision course" on Friday with a Spanish police boat heading to a beach in La Linea, a Spanish town bordering Gibraltar. "The RGP patrol boat, which was sailing at a high speed, diverted course just a few yards from the Spanish boat, causing a big wave that unsettled the Spanish police vessel," it said in a statement. "Its irresponsible and reckless manoeuvre created a significant, clear and sudden risk for the safety of both official boats and their crew." Spain's secretary of state for foreign...

    French CRS riot police hold a position during clashes near the Eiffel Tower at the Paris fan zone during the Portugal v France EURO 2016 final soccer match in Paris, France, July 10, 2016. Around 40 people were arrested in Paris after police used tear gas and water cannon against football fans hurling glass bottles at officers at the Eiffel Tower during the Euro 2016 final. Crowds of supporters, some donning French or Portuguese flags, gathered at the base of the Paris landmark before and after Portugal's stunning 1-0 victory over France after they were refused entry to the fan zone which was packed to its 90,000 capacity, Paris police said. Other arrests took place outside the Stade de France where the match was played. They were for public order offences. The base of the...