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MEPs celebrated the reforms that enhanced democracy and expanded people’s rights in the EU with Presidents Sassoli, Michel and von der Leyen.  

Brussels, Dec.17.– At the beginning of the formal sitting, EP President David Sassoli highlighted the role that the Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights play in maintaining peace and prosperity in Europe. He added that the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe presents an opportunity to address persisting and new challenges through a stronger Europe, based on solidarity and freedom.

During the round of interventions by political group speakers, MEPs representing a broad majority in parliament stressed that the EU needs to be reformed and strengthened in order to address citizens’ concerns, ranging from the environment and climate change to social issues, and from European defence, security and foreign policy, to the rule of law, democracy and citizens’ rights.

Rudolph Giuliani said in an interview that he briefed the president “a couple of times” about Marie Yovanovitch, the envoy to Ukraine, setting her recall in motion.

 Washington DC, Dec.17.– Rudolph W. Giuliani said on Monday that he provided President Trump with detailed information this year about how the United States ambassador to Ukraine was, in Mr. Giuliani’s view, impeding investigations that could benefit Mr. Trump, setting in motion the ambassador’s recall from her post.

In an interview, Mr. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, described how he passed along to Mr. Trump “a couple of times” accounts about how the ambassador, Marie L. Yovanovitch, had frustrated efforts that could be politically helpful to Mr. Trump. They included investigations involving former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Ukrainians who disseminated documents that damaged Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign.

 Beirut, Dec.13.– Protests have renewed with fresh momentum in Algeria as a former prime minister has been elected as president, despite over ten months of anti-government demonstrations to force the old political elite out. 

Thousands took to the streets with fresh vigour after around 60 per cent of the country boycotted the election.

Valetta, Dec.8.– Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Valletta on Sunday as pressure mounted on Malta’s prime minister to resign immediately over the investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

At least 5,000 demonstrators marched from parliament to the office of Joseph Muscat, holding up photos of the journalist, who was killed by a car bombing in October 2017, and placards reading “mafia state”, “assassins” and “blood on your hands.”