Editor’s Note: This listicle is part of a weekly series by The Ball State Daily News summarizing five stories from around the world. All summaries are based on stories published by The Associated Press.
A border dispute continues between Armenia and Azerbaijan, French hospitals delay scheduled operations to free space for COVID-19 patients, North Korea accuses South Korea of crossing the sea boundary, thousands of protestors call for the Israeli prime minister's resignation and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to discuss Mediterranean tensions.
Armenia, Azerbaijan keep up deadly fight for disputed region
Armenia and Azerbaijani forces kept fighting Monday over the disputed separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh after hostilities broke out the day before, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the deadly attacks that reportedly also wounded scores of people. According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 31 servicemen have been killed so far. On Sunday, the territory’s defense ministry also reported two civilian deaths — a woman and her grandson. Some 200 people have been wounded in the fighting, the Armenian Defense Ministry said Monday, while Azerbaijani authorities said 26 civilians have been wounded on their side.
French hospitals delay operations to cope with COVID surge
Hospitals in the Paris and Marseille regions are delaying some scheduled operations to free up space for COVID-19 patients as the French government tries to stem a rising tide of coronavirus infections, the health minister said Sunday. As restaurants and bars in Marseille prepared to shut down Sunday night for a week as part of scattered new French virus restrictions, Health Minister Olivier Veran insisted that the country plans no new lockdowns. Veran urged the French to make an effort to slow the spread of the virus, after health authorities reported 14,000 new infections Saturday amid a mass testing effort.
North Korea accuses South of intrusion to find dead official
North Korea accused South Korea of sending ships across the disputed sea boundary to find the body of a South Korean official recently killed by North Korean troops, warning Sunday the intrusion could escalate tensions. South Korea denied the accusation. Along with its denial, South Korea proposed a joint investigation to resolve discrepancies in each country’s account of the South Korean official’s death last week. Officials in Seoul have said the 47-year-old was likely attempting to defect before North Korean troops aboard a boat fatally shot him and burned his body.
Thousands of Israelis protest in Jerusalem, despite lockdown
Thousands of Israelis gathered outside the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night to demand his resignation, pressing ahead with weeks of protests against the embattled Israeli leader despite a strict new lockdown order. With Israel facing one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, the tough lockdown rules went into effect Friday, closing many businesses, banning large gatherings and ordering people to stay close to home. But Israel’s Knesset, or parliament, was unable to agree on proposed legislation that would ban the right to protest.
Pompeo speaks with NATO chief about Mediterranean tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is due to arrive in Greece on an official visit early Monday, has had a conversation on tensions in the eastern Mediterranean with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. According to State Department background briefings, Pompeo will meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to renew the two countries’ shared commitment to advance security, peace, and prosperity in the eastern Mediterranean and celebrate the strongest U.S.-Greek relationship in decades.
Read More
Center for Peace offers academic opportunities
By Meghan Braddy and Grayson Joslin / 2 hours agoOver the years, the center has offered a peace studies minor, conflict resolution training and grant funding.
AP: New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction
By Staff Reports / 2 hours agoNew York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with “egregious” improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case, according to the Associated Press (AP).
AP: Hamas willing to enact ceasefire if an independent Palestinian state is established
By Staff Reports / 2 hours agoWednesday, April 24th, a top Hamas political official said the group is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel and that it would lay down its weapons and convert into a political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders, according to the Associated Press (AP).
