News in Brief
Macron: Europe must not be ‘follower’ of US, China on Taiwan
AFP – French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview published Sunday that Europe must not be a “follower” of either the US or China on Taiwan, saying that the bloc risks entanglement in “crises that aren’t ours”.
His comments risk riling Washington and highlight divisions in the European Union over how to approach China, as the US steps up confrontation with its closest rival and Beijing draws closer to Russia in the wake of its war in Ukraine.
German ambassador expelled from Chad
AFP – The German ambassador to Chad, declared persona non grata by the government for his “impolite attitude”, was expelled from the country Saturday evening, officials in N’Djamena told AFP Sunday.
On Friday, the government of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, proclaimed head of state by the army two years ago, asked the German diplomat to leave within 48 hours for “non-respect of diplomatic practices”.
“The ambassador of Germany to Chad, Jan Christian Gordon Kricke, took an Air France flight Saturday evening,” said Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif.
Tennessee becomes new front in battle for American democracy
AP – Tennessee has become a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy after Republicans expelled two Black lawmakers from the state Legislature for their part in a protest urging passage of gun-control measures.
In separate votes on Thursday, the GOP supermajority expelled Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, a move leaving about 140,000 voters in primarily Black districts in Nashville and Memphis with no representation in the Tennessee House.