The former pope Benedict XVI reportedly wants his name removed from a controversial book that appears to undermine his successor, Pope Francis, on issues of priestly celibacy. The book hit stores Wednesday in France, the first country to publish it. But despite the furor the book has stirred in the press, many French readers appear underwhelmed.The book, “Des Profondeurs de Nos Coeurs,” meaning “From the Depths of Our Hearts,”  defends priestly celibacy at a time when Pope Francis is considering whether to lift restrictions on married priests in remote areas. Cardinal Robert Sarah, who co-authored the book, rejects accusations he manipulated Benedict regarding the content.  The furor, which appears to lay bare spiritual divisions between the two popes, has made news headlines, but hasn’t stirred up much public interest.  Parisian Brigitte Gallay says she has heard about the book, but notes Protestant ministers are married with children. She sees nothing wrong about a church that’s closer to the lives of ordinary people — even though some Catholics might be shocked at the thought of married priests.  The Catholic Church has taken a hit in France, not just because of declining attendance, but also because of a major pedophilia scandal — the theme of a recent movie. A trial opened this month against a priest at the heart of the scandal, which has helped fuel debate about the dangers of priestly celibacy.  At Paris bookstore Gibert Joseph, social worker Alexander Monnot adds the book to a pile of others he’s planning to buy. Monnot says he supports celibacy for priests.  “The fact is, at the very beginning of the Church, there was Jesus and 12 apostles,” Monnot said. “And even some were married. They all left their families to preach. Jesus was not married. And priests should be an incarnation, a continuation of Jesus.”Monnot says he is looking forward to reading the book’s arguments in favor of celibacy, but that’s not the only reason he’s buying it. He predicts the French publisher will recall this edition, which has Benedict’s name as co-author, meaning the copy he’s buying may one day be a collector’s item.
 
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning what’s dubbed ‘the construction project of the decade’, a massive canal connecting Turkey’s Marmara and Black Sea. The canal will provide an alternative route to the Bosporus, one of the world’s busiest waterways, which divides Istanbul. But the project is proving controversial, both domestically and internationally. Dorian Jones reports.
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In the U.S. more than 3 million shelter animals are adopted every year. But if you can’t find the animal you’ve been waiting for at your local shelter locally, or even nationally, you can look even farther afield. Svetlana Prudovskaya met with the people who make these little miracles happen. Anna Rice narrates her story.
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Albania said Wednesday it has ordered the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats and declared them “persona non grata.”Acting Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj announced the decision in a Facebook post, writing that diplomats Mohammad Ali Arz Peimanemati and Seyed Ahmad Hosseini Alast have conducted “activities in breach of their [diplomatic] status and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.””The two representatives of the Islamic Republic have been asked to leave the territory of the Republic of Albania immediately,” Cakaj wrote, without offering further details.  Confidential sources within the Albanian government told VOA the two diplomats are being expelled for activity endangering Albania’s national security. They said that cultural attache Seyed Ahmed Hosseini Alast had previously held high positions with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and that Mohamed Peimanemati had been a member of the operational unit of Iran’s Intelligence Agency, MOIS. The source charged that he was responsible for terrorist acts in European Union countries.FILE – A picture of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in an airstrike at Baghdad airport, is seen on the former U.S. Embassy’s building in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 7, 2020.The same sources told VOA that the two had been associates of Quds Force commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike early this month.Rising tensionsAdrian Shtuni, a foreign policy and security expert in Washington, told VOA the expulsion marks a new low in the already strained diplomatic relationship between Albania and Iran.”While the specific nature of the actions undertaken by the expelled Iranian diplomats are yet unclear, the justification used by the Albanian authorities, namely ‘activities incompatible with their diplomatic status,’ is a standard euphemism for espionage,” he said.It is the second time in 13 months that Albania has declared Iranian diplomats “persona non grata.”In December 2018, Tirana expelled Iran’s ambassador and another diplomat whom the country accused of “damaging its national security.” Following talks with other countries, including Israel, AIbania declared the two diplomats were expelled for “violating their diplomatic status.”U.S. President Donald Trump subsequently thanked Albania, saying in a letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama that the action “exemplifies our joint efforts to show the Iranian government that its terrorist activities in Europe and around the world will have severe consequences.”Reaction from IranIran blamed the United States and Israel for the expulsions. Its foreign ministry said Albania “has become an unintentional victim of the United States, Israel and some terrorist groups.”Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seemed to target Albania in a televised address last week decrying the killing of Soleimani. He spoke of a “small and sinister” country that he claimed “was instrumental in a Western plot to effect violent unrest” in Iran in November. Mass protests swept Iran at that time following an abrupt increase in gasoline prices.FILE – In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 1, 2020.Albanian President Ilir Meta responded with a statement saying Albania “is not an evil country, but a democratic country that has suffered from an evil dictatorship unparalleled in its kind. [It] therefore considers human rights sacred.” Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha ruled for 40 years years before his death in 1985.Iranian hostility toward Albania stems in part from the Balkan country’s decision to provide a refuge for 2,500 members of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (Mojahedin-e Khalq or MEK), a militant Iranian opposition group regarded as terrorists by Tehran. The group was expelled from Iraq following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.The U.S. has assisted Albania in its efforts to resettle the MEK, which has supported the U.S. in military operations in the Middle East.Albanian police disclosed for the first time late last year that they had thwarted a 2018 plot involving a “terrorist cell” of Iran’s elite Quds Force. They said the group was targeting a gathering in Albania that included MEK members.Three Iranian men and one Turkish man were suspected of involvement in the cell.
 
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A Turkish court on Wednesday lifted a ban on Wikipedia after almost three years.Turkey was the only country in the world apart from China to entirely block access to the online encyclopedia.But its constitutional court ruled last month that the ban, in place since April 2017, violated freedom of expression.Turkish officials said in 2017 that the ban was needed as Wikipedia had failed to remove content accusing its government of assisting terrorist groups.Rights groups have regularly criticized the erosion of free speech in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, especially since a failed coup attempt in 2016 triggered a massive crackdown on government critics in the press and beyond.An Ankara judge gave the order on Wednesday for the ban to be lifted by the telecommunications watchdog.Users said the website was still inaccessible on Wednesday though it was expected to be gradually unblocked nationwide.
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Environmental issues make up the top five risks to the global economy for  the coming decade, organizers of next week’s World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos said Wednesday.Citing  a survey of hundreds of key decision-makers, the WEF pointed to potentially catastrophic trends like global warming and the extinction of animal species — underscoring how the environment has surged up the international policy-making agenda ahead of risks like cyberattacks, recession and nuclear proliferation.
The concerns are especially acute, it added, at a time of growing international division, evident in global disputes like the trade war between the United States and China.
“The political landscape is polarized, sea levels are rising and climate fires are burning,” said Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum.
“This is the year when world leaders must work with all sectors of society to repair and reinvigorate our systems of cooperation, not just for short-term benefit but for tackling our deep-rooted risks.”
Brende said the world has a decade to deal with the climate emergency, and that not doing so within that time frame would be akin to “moving deckchairs on the Titanic.”
The 750 global experts and decision-makers questioned in the Global Risks Report 2020 identified economic disputes as the number one risk to the global economy this year. For the longer-term outlook, however, environmental concerns accounted for the top five risks.FILE – Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during the U.N. Climate Action Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, Sept. 23, 2019.The findings illustrate how environmental issues have become more important to the public and to policymakers, particularly over the past year, which has seen high-profile campaigning efforts from the likes of Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg and the Extinction Rebellion group.
The biggest long-term risk cited in the report was the possibility of extreme weather events, such as floods or storms. The others were the failure to properly plan for climate change, man-made environmental disasters such as oil spills, major biodiversity loss, and natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.
“There is mounting pressure on companies from investors, regulators, customers, and employees to demonstrate their resilience to rising climate volatility,” said John Drzik, chairman of Marsh & McLennan Insights, which along with Zurich Insurance Group helped the WEF compile the report.”High profile events, like recent wildfires in Australia and California, are adding pressure on companies to take action on climate risk at a time when they also face greater geopolitical and cyber risk challenges.”
Though there’s been a shift toward populist and nationalist politics around the world, Drzik said that those in  the executive suite are under mounting pressure from customers, employees, investors, rating agencies or regulators to tackle climate issues.
The trend was highlighted this week when BlackRock CEO Laurence Fink said his firm, which manages some $7 trillion for investors, will put climate change and sustainability at the heart of its investing approach.
“When your stakeholders align, I think there is an impact on CEOs whatever their underlying philosophy … As pressure mounts, you get more of a response,“ Drzik said.
The annual gathering of the business and political elites in Davos can help in that process, he said, as it assembles “the influencers from the sectors that have to work together.”
 FILE – A Swiss national flag waves in the wind during last year’s World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 25, 2019.The annual Davos meeting has been criticized over the years by those who say it’s just a talking shop for leaders flying in their private jets to enjoy some winter snow.
Adrian Monck, the WEF’s managing director, defended his organization’s stance when it came to climate issues. He noted that most people who go to Davos go up the mountain from Zurich by train. He also pointed out that the WEF has carbon-offsetting programs and that biofuels are available at Zurich Airport to those who opt to jet into Davos.
“It is something we take very seriously,” he told a press briefing in London. “There is nothing worse than an organization identifying a risk and doing nothing about it.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken a more unilateralist approach to international issues than his predecessors, is likely to be  one of the main points of interest next week, alongside Thunberg who is appearing at the forum for the second year running.  
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Britain, France, and Germany, collectively known as the EU3, have triggered a dispute  resolution mechanism which is part of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, to force Tehran into  discussions on how to salvage the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement, or JCPOA, which suffered a blow when U.S. President Donald Trump, who was critical of the deal, took the United States out of it in 2018. Tehran says the European signatories have not fulfilled their part of the deal, thus releasing Tehran from its commitments to halt nuclear development. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke reports if no solution is found, international sanctions against Iran could be re-imposed.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday the future of the 2015 international deal regarding his country’s nuclear program “depends on Europe,” after the three European signatories accused Iran of breaking key restrictions.Speaking at an event in India, Zarif reiterated long-standing Iranian complaints about Europe not living up to its economic promises under the deal, citing a lack of purchases of Iranian oil and the withdrawal of companies from Iran.Zarif acknowledged that Iran has stepped back from its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, but said Iran’s complaints went ignored as it complied with the deal and the United States withdrew from the pact and imposed new economic sanctions.”Our economy has suffered without any fault of Iran.  Over the past two years, hundreds of billions of dollars in damages.  Are they going to pay us back?  If they pay us back those hundreds of billions, I’ll make sure everything we have done is reversed beyond any shadow of doubt,” Zarif said.Britain, France and Germany said in a joint statement Tuesday they have upheld their responsibilities under the nuclear deal, including lifting economic sanctions against Iran and working to promote legitimate trade with the country.They said Iran’s non-compliance has left them no choice but to refer the situation to a dispute resolution process specified in the agreement.”Iran’s actions are inconsistent with the provisions of the nuclear agreement and have increasingly severe and non-reversible proliferation implications,” they said.The agreement, also signed by the United States, China and Russia, was meant to allay concerns Iran was working to build a nuclear weapon. And it put in place restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program that were meant to make such work impossible.  In exchange, Iran got relief from sanctions that had badly hurt its economy.But after the United States withdrew from the deal in 2018, Iran began reducing its compliance with steps such as going above the allowed limits on the amount of enriched uranium it can stockpile, enriching to higher levels, and using more centrifuges than allowed.Zarif on Wednesday also dismissed a suggestion by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who told the BBC that it would probably be better if what he called the “flawed” JCPOA was replaced with a new agreement negotiated by U.S. President Donald Trump.”I had a U.S. deal and the U.S. broke it,” Zarif said.  “If I have a Trump deal, how long will it last? Another 10 months?”The Iranian foreign minister said it is not in Europe’s interest to “tag along” with the United States.The Trump administration argued the nuclear deal was too generous to Iran and did not constrain what it called Iran’s malign behavior in the Middle East.  It has carried out what it calls a “maximum pressure” campaign to try to get Iran’s leaders to alter their course.Britain, France and Germany reiterated their “regret and concern” at the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement, and made clear in their statement Tuesday that seeking a resolution from the Joint Commission does not mean they are backing the U.S. strategy.”Our three countries are not joining a campaign to implement maximum pressure against Iran,” they said. “Our hope is to bring Iran back into full compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA.”The Joint Commission consists of one member from each of the signatories. Under the JCPOA they have 15 days to resolve a dispute.  The step is the first in a series of potential resolution mechanisms, the last of which involves referring the matter to the U.N. Security Council.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is threatening action in both Libya and Syria as rhetoric ramps up in the face of looming regional setbacks and growing frustrations with Moscow.Erdogan, addressing parliament Tuesday, issued a stark warning to Damascus not to violate the latest brokered cease-fire in Syrian rebel-controlled Idlib province.”We hope the cease-fire in Syria’s Idlib is lasting. Turkey is determined to prevent (Syrian leader Bashar al-) Assad regime attacks in violation of the truce,” said Erdogan to cheers from his parliamentary deputies.”Everyone should see and accept this is no joke.  Turkey will absolutely do whatever it says it will do,” he added.The Turkish president called on Damascus to allow 400,000 Syrians that had fled to Turkey’s border to be allowed to return to their homes in Idlib.Turkey is currently hosting over 3.5 million Syrian refugees amid growing public discontent blamed in part for a series of humiliating election defeats for Erdogan’s ruling AKP.  Analysts say Erdogan is determined to prevent another exodus of Syrian refugees entering Turkey.  Turkish military forces are deployed in Idlib as part of a previous agreement struck with Moscow to enforce a de-escalation zone.  While Ankara backs Syrian rebels, the two countries are increasingly cooperating in Syria as part of a broader rapprochement.  Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, left, talk after they symbolically open a valve during a ceremony in Istanbul for the inauguration of the TurkStream pipeline, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. The latest Idlib cease-fire was reportedly agreed to between Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the inauguration of a Russian-Turkish gas pipeline in Istanbul.”Turkey needs Russia in Syria desperately because Idlib probably cannot be resolved without Russia cooperation,” said Mehmet Ogutcu of the London Energy Forum. “There is an unbalanced relationship in favor of Russia; there is a marriage of convenience. But this is not sustainable in the medium to long term.”The vulnerability of Ankara’s position is underlined by the reality that Erdogan is probably unable to follow through on his threats aimed at Damascus, international studies professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankara’s Middle East Technical University, said.”Without Russian permission, Turkey cannot do anything,”  he said.”Turkey is very dependent on Russia,” he added. “How can Turkey attack any force in Syria as the sky is closed to the Turkish air force?   It can only use ground forces. This is just rhetoric. Erdogan is getting angry because things are not going his way.”Moscow has deployed a sophisticated anti-aircraft missile system across northern Syria.On Monday, Syrian and Turkish intelligence met in Moscow, but local reports claim the meeting made little progress with Syrian officials demanding the full withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria.  The gathering of intelligence chiefs in Moscow was held on the sidelines of efforts to end another conflict, the Libyan civil war.Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar shakes hands with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu before talks in Moscow, Jan. 13, 2020.The warring parties of General Khalifa Haftar, whose forces control most of Libya and the internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), were supposed to sign a cease-fire agreement brokered by Putin and Erdogan Monday. But Haftar left Moscow without putting ink to the deal.Erdogan slammed Haftar Tuesday, “If Haftar continues to attack the country’s legitimate government and our brothers in Libya, we will never refrain from giving Haftar the lesson he deserves,”  he said.This month Ankara started to deploy military forces to Tripoli as part of the security agreement signed in November between Erdogan and the GNA prime minister, Fayez Sarraj.In a rare public display of frustration, Erdogan insisted Putin needs to deliver Haftar’s signature. “We did our part, now what is left is in Mr. Putin and his team’s court,” he said Tuesday.FILE – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a news conference in Rome, Italy, Dec. 6, 2019.The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, sought to calm tensions, claiming Haftar would sign in the next couple of days. Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group back Haftar.  The Wagner Group is a private security force run by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman reported to have close ties with Moscow, although Putin denied last week the forces are paid for by Moscow.However, there are growing doubts about whether Putin can deliver Haftar’s signature.”Probably General Haftar got better offers, more promises by Saudi Arabia, Israel, maybe European countries, possibly America. No one wants the Sarraj government to survive, and no one wants Turkey or Russia there,” Bagci said.U.S. official David Satterfield meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 5, 2019.Sarraj met Tuesday in Istanbul with the U.S. ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield.Some analysts suggest Haftar could be waiting to make his final decision on whether to agree to a cease-fire at Sunday’s international meeting on Libya in Berlin.  A possible move to strengthen Haftar’s hand ahead of the Berlin meeting, there are reports his forces have resumed fighting against the GNA.Ankara faces a potential deteriorating situation in both Syria and Libya, while Erdogan continues to double down with warnings and threats, something analysts warn carries risks.”Erdogan’s rhetoric is getting much harsher. He is not happy with the developments.  The problem is his own rhetoric can trap him and that he will be forced into actions he doesn’t want to do. It will not be good, neither for him or Turkey,” said Bagci. 
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The European Union rolled out a massive, trillion-dollar investment plan Tuesday to deliver on promises to make Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050.The EU would designate one-quarter of its budget to fighting climate change over the next decade. The trillion-dollar price tag would come from a mix of EU and national government funds, as well as investment from the private sector.  It targets the EU’s ambitious goal of ensuring greenhouse emissions reach net zero in 30 years. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who late last year announced that goal — a plan she calls the “Green Deal” — says the investments are for the climate, as well as EU citizens. “It will be invested in the huge transition ahead of us, which consists of upskilling people in new jobs, clean technologies, green financing, new procedures,” she said.FILE – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference after an extraordinary meeting of the EU college of commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, Jan. 8, 2020.The plan prioritizes investment to help coal-dependent countries like Poland transition to green energy. Poland is the only EU member that has not yet signed onto the Green Deal, which would support scientists, businesses and other players in the energy transition. Some of the financing is seed money aimed at triggering much bigger investment.  States that want to qualify for funding must present proposals on low-emission projects as part of how they plan to restructure their economies to be climate friendlier.  The European commissioner for budget and administration, Johannes Hahn, detailed the investment plan at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.  “We have no time to waste if we want to deliver results for the citizens,” Hahn said. “Or, again in a nutshell, we provide climate cash in order to avoid a climate crash.”A recent poll shows Europeans fear climate change more than terrorism or losing their jobs.   Still, some EU lawmakers suggest details of the green investment plan are too sketchy. Others believe it should link the funds to deadlines for phasing out coal.  The European Investment Bank, which is mobilizing the chunk of money, announced last year it would end financing for all fossil fuel projects by the end of 2020, and align future financing goals with the Paris climate agreement.  EU lawmakers are expected to hold a non-binding vote Wednesday on the Green Deal. Von der Leyen aims to have climate legislation adopted by March.
 
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Traveling to the British town of Bath has become a pilgrimage of sorts for people of Ethiopian heritage. When Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie had to go into exile, he landed in Bath. The town, about 145 kilometers west of London, hosted the emperor from 1936 to 1940. When the Italians under Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1935, Haile Selassie, was forced to temporarily go in exile in Britain. He lived in Bath at Fairfield House, which also hosted his family, closest confidants and entourage.Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie at the White House in Washington on Oct. 25, 1970. Ezra Tsegay is part of the Ethiopian diaspora community and organizes Ethiopian-related events several times a year at Fairfield House.“We feel privileged that we are continuing a historical tradition,” Ezra said. “And I think it’s a good thing that the emperor’s name is remembered and the place is in use. And we feel very attached to the place emotionally.”The emperor renovated the two-story house after he bought the property. Rooms are still decorated with impressive carpets and Ethiopian art, as well as photos of Haile Selassie. The property sits on nearly one hectare of land.An estimated 90,000 people of Ethiopian heritage live in Britain. Most are based in London. One of them — Abiyou Desta — was visiting the former residence of the Ethiopian emperor for the first time.“To be honest, as someone of Ethiopian heritage, I’m really feeling very proud about the place and about the king, what he was doing, Abiyou said. “The displays all over the walls from the first floor to the top floor are very informative. It tells you a lot of information about him, how he used to administer his country from here.”The 25-room house is now a listed building, meaning changes cannot be made without prior approval. What once used to be the empresses’ office is now an office used by Fairfield project coordinators such as Pauline Swaby Wallace. She explains why the emperor gave Fairfield House to the city of Bath in 1958.“He had come with money, he came with resources, but in time those resources had run out, so the people of Bath were kind enough to, you know, accept him in their community,” Pauline said. “Although they were told by our government that, you know, just leave him let him just live quietly at Fairfield House. So he was invited to events, and he invited people here. So I think the kindness that was shown to him, he showed it back by giving this gift.”Besides the Ethiopian community, Rastafarians use the house as they revere Haile Selassie as God. But the house is mostly used as a day care center for the elderly.After the Italians were driven out, Haile Selassie returned to Ethiopia, and ruled the country until he was deposed in 1974. He died in 1975.  
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A surge of terrorist violence in Africa’s Sahel region is forcing West African nations to reconsider their strategy and unify military forces. Leaders invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to a G5 summit in the southern French city of Pau on Monday agreed to pursue their engagements with France – and put aside their differences with the former colonial power – to fight against jihadism. For VOA, Daniel Gillet reports from Pau. 
 
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Iran’s foreign minister has cancelled an expected appearance at next week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, organizers said Tuesday, citing the “backdrop of uncertainty” in the Middle East.The move averts a possible crossing-of-paths with top U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, in the Alpine town at a time when relations between Iran and the United States have hit a new low.WEF President Borge Brende cited only the “cancellation” by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was notably blacklisted by the Trump administration even before the new tensions. Brende declined to elaborate on the reasons for it.“We have to understand the cancellation against the backdrop of uncertainty in the region and what his happening in Iran,” he told reporters at WEF headquarters in Geneva at a look-ahead event to the 50th anniversary of the forum.Word of Zarif’s absence came as WEF founder Klaus Schwab warned that the world faces a “state of emergency” and said the window for opportunity is closing fast – notably when it comes to acting to save the environment.He insisted the annual meeting will be “a do-shop,' not atalk-shop’.”All told, nearly 3,000 leaders from 118 countries are expected for the Jan. 21-24 event. The president of Iraq, Barham Salih, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among the 53 heads of state and government set to attend, along with hundreds of business leaders and civil society activists, like environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg of Sweden.Schwab emphasized the importance of sustainable economic growth, the need for decent jobs and salaries, and plans for skills training for a billion people worldwide over the next decade.He expressed hopes that a “Green Revolution” will go mainstream and said the World Economic Forum would encourage partner businesses to become carbon neutral. He highlighted an environmental project to plant 1 trillion trees worldwide by 2030 to help gobble up excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.Schwab revived his call for “stakeholder capitalism” to help take the lead in solving global problems.“Environmental responsibility is very much a part of the stakeholder responsibility,” he said. 
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Russia said it made progress after hosting indirect peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Libya — despite failing to secure an open ended cease-fire deal between the warring sides in the nine-month war.“Today we can report that some progress was made,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at a press conference late Monday in which he described the eight-hour parallel negotiations with co-mediator Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as “serious talks.”The head of the Tripoli-based, internationally-recognized government, Fayez al-Sarraj, agreed to sign a memorandum that promised an end to offensive military actions and creation of a commission to identify a line of division between the warring parties.  Yet Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army who has made recent gains in an assault on the Libyan capital, Tripoli, asked for additional time to consider the proposal before leaving Moscow Tuesday without signing the agreement.Haftar later commented to Middle East media outlets, saying the Russian-Turkish plan “ignored many of the demands of the LNA — such as a deadline for disbanding government forces and creation of a unity government.In Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan maintained that Haftar had simply gone back on his word to sign the agreement while in Moscow.  Russia’s Lavrov pledged that Moscow would keep working on the Libyan peace deal “until a result is achieved.”Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attend a joint news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 13, 2020.Libya descended into political chaos following a U.N.-mandated 2011 NATO military intervention that led to the ouster of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.  Subsequent civil wars have gutted the economy and caused an outflow of Libyan migrants to Europe — often with the help of human traffickers.  The Moscow talks come amid a broader push by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan to bring an end to the fighting — despite backing different sides in the conflict.  Turkey backs al-Sarraj while Russia has provided tacit support for Haftar’s LNA alongside Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.   While falling short of a peace agreement, the negotiations highlighted Moscow’s growing influence as a power broker in the Middle East region — with the Kremlin already involved in the war in Syria and managing a delicate balance of alliances that includes erstwhile (former) enemies Iran and Turkey, a NATO member.   Putin and Erdogan pushed through a temporary cease-fire last Sunday that provided a lull in fighting.   The Moscow negotiations also precede additional Libya peace talks scheduled in Berlin for this Sunday, when Putin and Erdogan are expected to join German Chancellor Angela Merkel.     During a recent visit to Moscow, Merkel said she welcomed the Russian-Turkish diplomatic initiative in Libya and hoped the Berlin conference would give rise to “a peaceful and sovereign country.”A statement on the Kremlin’s website said Putin had informed Merkel about the results of the most recent Libya negotiations during a phone call on Tuesday.  Yet Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu suggested the Libyan National Army’s refusal to compromise in Moscow had suddenly put the conference in question.  “The Libya Conference in Berlin has no purpose if Khalifa Haftar doesn’t change his position,” said Cavusoglu in comments carried by Russia’s TASS news agency.     
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A Swiss judge Monday found a group of activists not guilty of trespassing when they stormed into a branch of Credit Suisse bank to protest its investment in fossil fuels.The defendants and their supporters screamed with joy when Judge Philippe Colelough dismissed the charges and waived the fine. He agreed with the activists that they were protesting against what they say is an “imminent danger” caused by global warming.”Because of the insufficient measures taken to date in Switzerland … the average warming will not diminish or even stabilize. It will increase,” the judge said, adding that the action of the defendants was “necessary and proportional.”Credit Suisse said it will analyze the verdict. It has previously said it respects freedom of expression, but cannot put up with “unlawful attacks on its branches.”About a dozen young men and women barged into the bank branch outside Lausanne in November 2018 and started playing tennis in the building — a living reference to Swiss tennis star Roger Federer who is sponsored by the bank.Along with protesting the bank’s multi-billion dollar investment in fossil fuels, the activists are urging Federer to cut his ties to Credit Suisse.Federer issued a statement saying he takes the impacts of climate change very seriously and is using his “privileged position to dialogue on important issues with my sponsors.”
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Paris commuters battled to reach work again on Monday as a 40-day-old strike dragged on and France’s premier vowed “to go to the end” with the pension reforms that sparked the action.There was still major disruption on the Paris metro and the national railway system, even after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced a major concession to unions at the weekend.But the situation was somewhat improved from previous weeks, with all Paris metro lines now open in peak hours and the trains running slightly more regularly.National rail operator SNCF said eight out of ten high-speed TGV trains were operating, although slower regional trains were more affected.”We are going to go to the end” in implementing the pension reforms, Philippe said on France 2 television late Sunday.”Those who incite (workers) to continue the strike are leading them perhaps into a dead end… I think that they need to assume their responsibilities,” he said.”I think you know the phrase —  ‘you need to know how to end a strike’. We are not far now,” he added. ‘Not end of the story’Philippe announced Saturday that he would drop plans to increase the official age for a full pension to 64 from 62, a move welcomed by more moderate trade unions like the CFDT.President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought to stay above the fray throughout the crisis by relying on Philippe to deal with the unions, called the change “a constructive and responsible compromise.”But the more hardline CGT, FO and Solidaires unions were standing firm, calling for the strike and protests to continue, including another major demonstration on Thursday.Demonstrators in the capital on Saturday, some masked and hooded, broke shop windows and set fires along their protest route, and threw projectiles at police in riot gear who responded with tear gas.The government however is not budging on its overall plan for a universal scheme to rationalise 42 existing pension schemes into a single, points-based system it says will be fairer and more transparent.”The end of the pivot age does not mean the end of the strike,” commented the Le Parisien daily.Laurent Berger, the head of the moderate CFDT, France’s largest union, also struck a cautious note while reaffirming his welcome for the withdrawal of the so-called “pivot age” of 64 as “extremely important.””We are far from being at the end of this story on the universal system for pensions and we will need to keep up the pressure,” he told RTL Radio.The strike has also been observed by other public-service workers affected by the reforms, including staff at the Paris Opera, which on Saturday cancelled its performance of “The Barber of Seville,” its first show of 2020.Lawyers have also been striking, with the first day of the keenly awaited trial of Bernard Preynat, a priest who is charged with abusing dozens of boy scouts in the southeastern Lyon area in the 1980s and 1990s, delayed to Tuesday from Monday.”We are aware that this trial is very important but we think it would not be appropriate to give it special treatment,” said the head of the Lyon bar association Serge Deygas at the court, accompanied by a dozen striking lawyers.
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made a brief court appearance Monday in his bid to prevent extradition to the United States to face serious espionage charges.He and his lawyers complained they weren’t being given enough time to meet to plan their battle against U.S. prosecutors seeking to put him on trial for WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of confidential documents.The 48-year-old was brought to court from Bealmarsh Prison on the outskirts of London. He saluted the public gallery, which was packed with ardent supporters including the musician MIA, when he entered the courtroom. He later raised his right fist in defiance when he was taken to holding cells to meet with lawyer Gareth Peirce.Peirce said officials at Belmarsh Prison are making it extremely difficult for her to meet with Assange.“We have pushed Belmarsh in every way – it is a breach of a defendant’s rights,” she said.Assange refrained from making political statements. He confirmed his name and date of birth, and at one point said he didn’t understand all of the proceedings against him during the brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.He faces 18 charges in the U.S., including conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer. He has denied wrongdoing, claiming he was acting as a journalist entitled to First Amendment protection.Many advocacy groups have supported Assange’s claim that the charges would have a chilling effect on freedom of the press.A five-day extradition hearing is scheduled for late February. Assange’s legal team has tried to delay the hearing so there is more time to prepare, but these requests have been denied.Assange has already served a 50-week prison sentence in Britain for jumping bail. A rape investigation launched against him in Sweden has been dropped, so he would likely be freed from prison if extradition is denied. 
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Retired Pope Benedict XVI has broken his silence to reaffirm the value of priestly celibacy, co-authoring a bombshell book at the precise moment that Pope Francis is weighing whether to allow married men to be ordained to address the Catholic priest shortage.Benedict wrote the book, “From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church,” along with his fellow conservative, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, who heads the Vatican’s liturgy office and has been a quiet critic of Francis.The French daily Le Figaro published excerpts of the book late Sunday; The Associated Press obtained galleys of the English edition, which is being published by Ignatius Press.Benedict’s intervention is extraordinary, given he had promised to remain “hidden from the world” when he retired in 2013 and pledged his obedience to the new pope. He has largely held to that pledge, though he penned an odd essay last year on the sexual abuse scandal that blamed the crisis on the sexual revolution of the 1960s.His reaffirmation of priestly celibacy, however, gets to the heart of a fraught policy issue that Francis is expected to weigh in on, and could well be considered a public attempt by the former pope to sway the thinking of the current one.The authors clearly anticipated that potential interpretation, and stressed in their joint introduction that they were penning the book in a spirit of filial obedience, to Pope Francis.Francis has said he would write a document based on the outcome of the October 2019 synod of bishops on the Amazon. A majority of bishops at the meeting called for the ordination of married men to address the priest shortage in the Amazon, where the faithful can go months without having a Mass.Francis has expressed sympathy with the Amazonian plight. While he has long reaffirmed the gift of a celibate priesthood in the Latin rite church, he has stressed that celibacy is a tradition, not doctrine, and therefore can change, and that there could be pastoral reasons to allow for a exception in a particular place.Benedict addresses the issue head-on in his chapter in the brief book, which is composed of a joint introduction and conclusion penned by Benedict and Sarah, and then a chapter apiece in between. True to his theological form, Benedict’s chapter is dense with biblical references and he explains in scholarly terms what he says is the necessary foundation for the celibate priesthood that dates from the times of the apostles.”The priesthood of Jesus Christ causes us to enter into a life that consists of becoming one with him and renouncing all that belongs only to us,” he writes. “For priests, this is the foundation of the necessity of celibacy but also of liturgical prayer, meditation on the Word of God and the renunciation of material goods.”Marriage, he writes, requires man to give himself totally to his family. “Since serving the Lord likewise requires the total gift of a man, it does not seem possible to carry on the two vocations simultaneously. Thus, the ability to renounce marriage so as to place oneself totally at the Lord’s disposition became a criterion for priestly ministry.”The joint conclusion of the book makes the case even stronger, acknowledging the crisis of the Catholic priesthood that it says has been “wounded by the revelation of so many scandals, disconcerted by the constant questioning of their consecrated celibacy.”Dedicating the book to priests of the world, the two authors urge them to persevere, and for all faithful to hold firm and support them in their celibate ministry.”It is urgent and necessary for everyone-bishops, priests and lay people-to stop letting themselves be intimidated by the wrong-headed pleas, the theatrical productions, the diabolical lies and the fashionable errors that try to put down priestly celibacy,” they write. “It is urgent and necessary for everyone-bishops, priests and lay people-to take a fresh look with the eyes of faith at the Church and at priestly celibacy which protects her mystery.”
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Britain’s ambassador to Tehran has said he was detained briefly by Iranian authorities as he attended a vigil for the victims of last week’s crash of a Ukrainian passenger jet.Iran’s Mehr news agency said Rob Macaire was arrested on Saturday for his alleged “involvement in provoking suspicious acts” at the gathering in front of Tehran’s Amir Kabir University.People gather for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the Ukraine plane crash, at the gate of Amri Kabir University that some of the victims of the crash were former students of, in Tehran, Jan. 11, 2020.Students held a gathering at the school after Iran said the Ukrainian airliner was downed by mistake by Iranian antiaircraft missiles.In a post to Twitter Sunday, Macaire said he attended the event to pay respects to the victims, and was not attending any demonstration.Thanks for the many goodwill messages. Can confirm I wasn’t taking part in any demonstrations! Went to an event advertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 tragedy. Normal to want to pay respects- some of victims were British. I left after 5 mins, when some started chanting.— Rob Macaire (@HMATehran) January 12, 2020The British Foreign Ministry called Macaire’s detention “a flagrant violation of international law.””The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards,” the ministry said.Iranian officials did not immediately make any statement about the incident.More protests were expected later on Sunday, amid building outrage among some Iranians about the downing of the Ukrainian jet.
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Hundreds of people protested in several cities around Iran on Saturday after the military admitted to mistakenly shooting down a civilian Ukrainian plane, killing all 176 on board. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.
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Iran’s acknowledgement that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing 176 people, raises new challenges for the Islamic Republic both externally amid tensions with the U.S. and internally as it deals with growing discontent from its people. The country did itself no favors by having its air-crash investigators, government officials and diplomats deny for days that a missile downed the flight, though a commander said Saturday that he had raised that possibility to his superiors as early as Wednesday, the day of the crash. While its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard took responsibility, the same commander claimed it warned Tehran to close off its airspace amid fears of U.S. retaliation for Iran’s launch of ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. forces. That retaliation never came, but the worries proved to be enough to allegedly scare a missile battery into opening fire on the Boeing 737 operated by Ukraine International Airlines. Wider tensions between Iran and the U.S., inflamed after Iran’s top general was killed in Iraq by a U.S. drone strike January 3, have for the moment calmed. However, President Donald Trump vowed to impose new sanctions on Tehran, and on Friday his administration targeted Iran’s metals industry, a major employer. Meanwhile, thousands of additional U.S. forces remain in the Mideast atop of the network of American bases surrounding Iran, despite Tehran’s demands that the U.S. leave the region. FILE – U.S. President Donald Trump shows a signed memorandum after delivering a statement on the Iran nuclear deal from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, May 8, 2018.Nuclear dealThat sets the stage for Iran’s further steps away from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, an accord Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from in May 2018 over his concerns it didn’t go far enough in restraining Tehran. Iran said after the targeted killing of General Qassem Soleimani that it would no longer abide by any of its limits, while saying U.N. inspectors could continue their work. Further steps could spark an Israeli strike if it feels Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon, something Tehran denies it wants but the West fears could happen. Iran, through Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has sought to offer legal justifications for its decisions following Soleimani’s death, including missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops that caused no casualties. Now the country must contend with repercussions of its officials’ wrongheaded denials in the days after the plane crash. “There has been no missile launched in that area at that time,” said Hamid Baeidinejad, Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom, in an interview Friday with Sky News, calling further questions on the allegation “absolutely unacceptable.” Then the story changed early Saturday morning, with Iran’s general staff of its armed forces saying the flight had been “targeted unintentionally due to human error.” Baeidinejad later apologized on Twitter. “In my statement yesterday to the UK media, I conveyed the official findings of responsible authorities in my country that missile could not be fired and hit the Ukrainian plane at that period of time,” he wrote. “I … regret for conveying such wrong findings.” Ultimately, the Guard answers solely to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But Khamenei himself only Saturday acknowledged the missile strike, citing the report by Iran’s conventional armed forces. ‘Sensitive’ spotYet even the army statement itself raises questions, as it said the flight moved “very close to a sensitive military spot” belonging to the Guard. “The altitude and the direction of the flight’s movement were like an enemy target, so the aircraft was targeted unintentionally due to human error,” the statement read. That’s despite the fact that flight data for every Ukraine International Airlines flight out of Tehran since early November show Wednesday’s flight followed a similar altitude and flight path, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24. Planes leaving Imam Khomeini airport routinely take off going west as the Ukrainian flight did. Ukraine International Airlines President Yevhenii Dykhne stands next to a map of Flight PS-752’s departure path at a briefing about the crash of the plane on the outskirts of Tehran, at Boryspil International Airport in Ukraine, Jan. 11, 2020.Nine other flights flew out of the airport early Wednesday morning before the Ukrainian airliner without encountering trouble. The Guard claims it asked Iranian authorities to shut down airspace in Tehran amid the ballistic missile strikes and fears of reprisals, but nothing happened. Analysts have questioned the decision not to close Tehran’s airspace in the days after the shootdown. “The first thing a country should do in case of escalation of the military conflict is to close the sky for civilian flights,” said retired Ukrainian General Ihor Romanenko, a military analyst. “But this entails serious financial losses, fines and forfeits, therefore a cynical approach prevailed in Iran.” The Guard has wide autonomy in Iran. It prides itself on its aggressive posture, whether having tense encounters with the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf or shooting down a U.S. military surveillance drone last summer. Concerns about that aggression saw the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reissue a warning about flying over Iran just days before the shootdown, warning that “misidentification” remained a risk. Service rivalriesThat Iran’s conventional military — long limited in the years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution by purges and obsolete equipment — issued the report shows the rivalries between the services. The Guard’s own position could be challenged, though it maintains a strong grip on Iran’s security and economic sectors. The U.S. did not retaliate the night of the ballistic missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. However, that has not stopped Iranian officials like Zarif and others who sought to try to blame “U.S. adventurism” for Iran shooting down the airplane. That may not fly with the Iranian public, already battered by economic sanctions and openly protesting in recent rallies. Saturday night, hundreds gathered at universities in Tehran to protest the government’s late acknowledgement of the plane being shot down. They demanded officials involved in the missile attack be removed from their positions and tried. Police broke up the demonstrations. 
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Eleven migrants, including eight children, died Saturday when their vessel sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey, state news agency Anadolu reported. The boat sank off Cesme, a popular tourist resort in western Turkey opposite the Greek island of Chios, Anadolu said, adding that eight others were rescued. The nationality of the victims was not yet known. The sinking came hours after another boat sank in the Aegean near the Greek island of Paxi, leaving at least 12 dead. Turkey has taken in around 4 million migrants and refugees, most of them Syrians, and is an important transit country for those fleeing conflicts and seeking to reach Europe, largely via Greece. An agreement reached in March 2016 between Ankara and the European Union succeeded in considerably reducing the number of people arriving on the five islands closest to Turkey. 
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Britain’s so-called “red-top” tabloid newspapers lost no time pivoting this week from the prospect of war in the Middle East to family wars in Buckingham Palace — their preferred beat and a circulation booster for publications that are flagging in the internet era.“ROYAL BREAK,” screamed the Sun newspaper. “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit as senior royals, will become ‘financially independent’ and ‘didn’t tell Queen.’”“Queen ‘hurt’ not to be told about Harry and Meghan quitting royal life,” the Metro blazoned across its front page. The Mirror declared: “Meghan Markle and Harry ‘using fame as bargaining chip to get what they want.’”It reported the queen was “crushed.”Even the country’s supposedly “quality” newspapers waded into a royal mess, one prompted by Prince Harry and his American-born wife, TV actress Meghan Markle, deciding to, in their words, “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex and Duchess Meghan of Sussex intend to step back their duties and responsibilities as senior members of the British Royal Family. , Jan. 9, 2020.In their statement the couple did not mention the word “quit,” but they talked instead about continuing “to carry out their duties for Her Majesty The Queen,” while dividing “time between the United Kingdom and North America” — most likely Canada, where Markle lived for several years while shooting the TV soap Suits.They added: “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.” Aside from charitable work, the pair appear to have business plans, too, and have reportedly retained the American PR company Sunshine Sachs — based in Los Angeles — while filing to register “Sussex Royal” and “Sussex Royal Foundation,” their charitable arm, as UK trademarks.  There’s even talk in the media that Markle intends to re-launch her acting career. And brand experts say the couple could make hundreds of millions of dollars from lucrative merchandising, interviews and marketing.Both The Times and the Daily Telegraph reported that the queen and Prince Charles, Harry’s 71-year-old father, and the heir apparent, were “incandescent” with rage at an announcement that hadn’t been approved by Buckingham Palace.The formal response from the palace was a terse one-sentence statement: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”Few young couples wanting to spin off from the family firm and to set up their own business and establish a distinct brand would face such media outrage. But when you are sixth in line to Britain’s throne it isn’t so easy to navigate an exit — if only a partial and bespoke one.And that’s especially so when you are the son of the late Diana Spencer, the erstwhile wife of Prince Charles. The collapse of the Charles-Diana marriage became ensnared in a media frenzy with the tabloids adding insult to injury as much as they could. Both Charles and Diana, the princess of Wales, and their staffs, were drawn in, leaking against each other to try to manipulate the press coverage of their tumultuous separation and bitter divorce, say royal commentators.Britain’s media smells blood again — and rising sales.Amid the furor there was hardly space to report that Britain’s House of Commons passed Brexit legislation for the country to leave the European Union, an exit that will likely have much longer term and far more serious implications for Britons than the :royal exit.”Even U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the development, telling a Fox News interviewer: “I have such respect for the queen. I don’t think this should be happening.” He added: “I think this is sad.”Britain’s Queen Elizabeth poses, after recording her annual Christmas Day message in Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, Britain, in this undated pool picture released on Dec. 24, 2019.Why all the fuss?Britain’s Economist magazine noted that Harry and Meghan are not a “natural fit” with the stiff House of Windsor.And the palace had become increasingly frustrated with the couple for their non-traditional ways and their chafing at the norms of royal life — including suing British newspapers and openly talking about a breach between Harry and his older brother, Prince William. A TV documentary shot by their friend, British newscaster Tom Bradby, especially set royal teeth on edge, a former palace official, who asked not to be identified, told VOA.In the documentary they spoke about their discontent with their royal lives, and fury at the intrusive and at times hostile media attention. Meghan told Bradby: “I’ve really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip. I’ve tried, I’ve really tried.  But I think that what that does internally is probably really damaging. The biggest thing that I know is that I never thought this would be easy. But I thought it would be fair. And that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile.”Friends of the couple say they felt forced out, and they note that there was no photograph of Harry and Meghan beside the queen when she gave her traditional Christmas Day address to the nation — there were of Charles and Prince William.None of this has sat well with the rest of the royal family, nicknamed in Britain, “the firm” — nor the tabloids, whose traditional “middle England” readership has expectations about how royals should behave.The couple’s announcement about defining “a progressive new role” for themselves has only widened the rift, say commentators,  prompting fears among palace insiders that an unleashed “brand Sussex” could eclipse Prince Charles and Prince William, with Harry and his wife rivaling the more senior royals for influence.One of the family’s uppermost fears, says the former place official, is “losing control of the various parts of ‘the firm’ — and of Harry and Meghan not appreciating that ‘royals have to act differently from celebrities in order to ensure the standing and longevity of the institution, which relies on pubic goodwill to survive.”
He says there’s also alarm that unleashed, the couple, Meghan especially, could become more outspoken and active politically, which risks blowback on the British monarchy, which in the modern day has endeavored to remain above the political fray fearing abolition otherwise.   
Supporters of the Sussexes retort that the slavish observance of stiff protocols hasn’t shielded the royal family from scandal in the past.The royal family is still absorbing the stepping down in November from public life by Prince Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, and reputedly the favorite son of Queen Elizabeth, over his friendship with the late American billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.But even those sympathetic to the young couple’s desire to have more freedom to define modern roles for themselves accuse the pair of naivete — and of wanting it both ways. The Times said in a measured editorial that alarm bells are ringing because the couple appears to want to mix private and public roles.It noted the couple wants to become financially independent and to conduct their lives without restrictions, while retaining their royal status, and having exclusive use of Frogmore Cottage on a royal estate outside London. They also want to retain their security detail, again at taxpayer expense, and they plan to continue to receive nearly $3 million a year from the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns 53,000 hectares of land and is worth more than $1.5 billion.The Duchy of Cornwall is considered a public asset and, according to an opinion poll, two-thirds of Britons say Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s funding from the estate should stop as they throttle back from their senior royal roles.“If they wish to pursue alternative careers it would be better if they followed the example of some of their cousins and renounced their royal status and gave up all royal duties,” The Times suggested.
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The French prime minister informed the unions behind a crippling railway strike over pension reform Saturday that he is open to backing down on one of the most controversial proposals: raising the full pension eligibility age to 64.Prime Minister Edouard Philippe wrote to unions one day after the French government and labor representatives engaged in talks that had seemed to end in a stalemate after more than a month of strikes and protests.Women sing against French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 in Paris.Philippe’s letter said that the plan to raise the full pension eligibility age from 62 to 64 – the unions’ major sticking point – was open to negotiation. It was the first time the French government overtly indicated room for movement on the retirement age issue. The overture could signal hope for ending the France’s longest transport strikes in decades.However, Philippe said any compromise was contingent on first finding a way of paying for the pensions system in a country where a record number of people are over age 90.On Saturday, protesters in Paris marched through the streets to denounce the French government’s plans.In scenes that have become all too familiar to Parisians, demonstrators set fire to a kiosk near the Bastille square in the center of the French capital as a minority of demonstrators in the march got rowdy..Police fired tear gas briefly as minor scuffles broke out.Two days earlier, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets nationwide to denounce the government’s pension proposals. The unions planned further actions for next week to keep up the pressure on the government.
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