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Shielded from the public by glass panels and staring intently through microscopes, a team of specialists has started work restoring Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, one of the most iconic paintings of the Dutch golden age.Eight art conservators are painstakingly removing multiple layers of varnish from Rembrandt’s masterpiece depicting Amsterdam’s civil guard on patrol.”Operation Night Watch”, …

‘Operation Night Watch’: Rembrandt classic gets makeover Read More »

Hundreds of employees of French cognac maker Hennessy, part of the LVMH group luxury empire, went on strike on Tuesday to protest measures the brand plans to employ to circumvent Chinese tariffs imposed in a spat with the EU.Some 500-600 staff in cognac’s home Charente region in southwestern France were protesting at an experimental plan …

Strike at French cognac maker Hennessy over measures in China spat Read More »

China’s President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Brazil Wednesday, fresh off a warm reception at summits of the G20 and APEC groups, both held under the cloud of Donald Trump’s White House return.Xi has said he would seek to “further enhance” ties with Brasilia when he meets counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da …

Xi, Lula meet in Brasilia to ‘enhance ties’ Read More »

Police and civilian self-defense groups killed 28 alleged gang members in Port-au-Prince in an overnight operation, authorities said Tuesday, as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was suspending operations in the Haitian capital. As the government seeks to regain some control of the violent, chaotic city, MSF warned that the forces of law and order have …

Bodies burned after Haiti police, civilians kill 28 alleged gang members Read More »

Rafael Nadal said he has left both a sporting and personal legacy after retiring from professional tennis on Tuesday at the Davis Cup.The 38-year-old was beaten in the opening singles rubber of the quarter-finals as Netherlands defeated Spain 2-1 to reach the final four.Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, enjoyed a glittering and historic career …

‘I have left a legacy’: Nadal retires from tennis Read More »

Superstar Rafael Nadal’s glittering career in professional tennis came to an end on Tuesday as Netherlands eliminated Spain in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.The 38-year-old Spaniard, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, was defeated in the first singles rubber and after Carlos Alcaraz won the second match to send the tie to a doubles decider, the Dutch …

Nadal’s sensational career ends as Netherlands defeat Spain in Davis Cup Read More »

Ukraine’s allies and Russia on Tuesday traded blame for a dramatic escalation in the war in Europe, which dominated the final day of talks at a G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.The two-day gathering wrapped up with a plea from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the world’s most powerful leaders to rescue …

G20 summit ends with Ukraine blame game Read More »

Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was appointing Mehmet Oz, a former surgeon and TV celebrity known as “Dr. Oz,” to lead the United States’ massive public health insurance program. The 64-year-old heart surgeon was championed on daytime television by Oprah Winfrey before he entered politics with an unsuccessful bid for a Senate seat in 2022.Oz …

Trump appoints TV celebrity ‘Dr. Oz’ to key US health post Read More »

Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai will on Wednesday take the stand in his collusion trial, testifying in court for the first time despite five previous trials in almost four years.Lai’s case is one of the most prominent prosecuted under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, with Western countries and rights groups …

Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai takes witness stand in collusion trial Read More »

Western governments and rights groups condemned Tuesday the jailing of 45 pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong in the city’s largest national security trial.Criticism immediately followed the sentencing of dozens of opposition figures including “mastermind” Benny Tai who was given the longest term of 10 years in prison.A US State Department spokesman called the sentences “unjust”, …

Hong Kong court jails 45 democracy campaigners, drawing condemnation Read More »