AP, Brussels
Police in Europe and North America have seized servers and data from Islamic State propaganda outlets in a multi-country operation aimed at tracking down radicals and crimping the group’s ability to spread its violent message.European agency Europol announced Friday that the operation was led by Belgian prosecutors and also involved authorities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Romania.
Romania’s President calls on PM to resign
AP, Bucharest
Romania’s president on Friday called on the prime minister to resign, saying she is unfit for the job.
President Klaus Iohannis said that Viorica Dancila “is not up for the job of Romanian prime minister,” three months after she became Romania’s first female premier this January.Iohannis said that she “prefers to execute party orders” and represented “a vulnerability” for Romania. He was referring to her political dependence on the leader of the ruling Social Democrats, Liviu Dragnea, who effectively runs the government. Iohannis also accused her of failing to inform him over a unilateral government proposal to relocate Romania’s embassy to Jerusalem.
Armenia acting PM rejects talks with protest leader
AFP, Yerevan
Armenia’s acting head of government Karen Karapetyan on Friday rebuffed talks proposed by opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, further escalating tensions after two weeks of protests.
Karapetyan’s refusal to negotiate came after he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Thursday.
Britain’s new prince is named Louis
AP, London
The new prince has a name. Britain’s royal palace says the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles. The palace said Friday that the baby’s full title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
William and Kate’s third child was born Monday, a brother to 4-year-old Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who is almost 3.
Merkel in US for talks with Trump
AFP, Washington
German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to the White House on Friday for talks with Donald Trump, facing an uphill struggle to save the Iran nuclear deal, avoid a trade war and make her relationship with the US president functional again.
The German leader’s visit has already been overshadowed by a backslapping three-day festival of “fraternite” between Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron this week.
