Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The Prince of Wales on Thursday called on The Gambia to work with Britain to promote democracy nearly two years after the small West African nation emerged from decades of authoritarian rule. Prince Charles’s arrival in The Gambia was the first royal visit since the …
Read More »Sweeping Iran sanctions target oil, banks
Washington, United States | AFP | All of Iran’s oil exports and financial transactions will be targeted under US sanctions that take force Monday, six months after President Donald Trump bolted from a nuclear deal. The sanctions bring back the punitive measures that were imposed and then lifted by former …
Read More »Prince Charles, Camilla start African tour in Gambia
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla landed Wednesday in The Gambia for the first leg of a week-long African tour aimed at strengthening ties with Commonwealth nations. The Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, took over as head of the 53-member Commonwealth of …
Read More »Macron hails reformist Ethiopia PM on first Europe trip
Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday hailed “unprecedented” moves by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to transform his country as the young African leader makes his first trip to Europe. Abiy, 42, has won global praise for forging peace with neighbouring Eritrea, announcing economic reforms …
Read More »Top S. Korea court orders Japanese firm to pay for forced labour
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea’s top court on Tuesday ordered a Japanese steel giant to pay compensation over forced wartime labour, a decision likely to further strain ties between the two neighbours. South Korea and Japan are both democracies and US allies faced with an increasingly assertive …
Read More »Macron, Merkel back Europe coordination on arms sales to Saudi Arabia
Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | France and Germany’s leaders said Saturday they want a “coordinated” European position for restrictions on arms sales to Saudi Arabia after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to the French presidency. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel moved to quash a …
Read More »Amnesty urges AC Milan, Juve to shun Italian Super Cup in Saudi
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Amnesty International on Saturday urged football clubs AC Milan and Juventus to shun the Italian Super Cup — a game Saudi Arabia is set to host in January — over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “Even before the horrific killing of Jamal …
Read More »African growth key to stemming migrant flows: Merkel
Prague, Czech Republic | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Czech premier Andrej Babis agreed Friday to focus on economic development in Africa to try to slow migration into the European Union. “We are both convinced that we must achieve a win-win situation where the economic development of African …
Read More »Pompeo says US to fight China ’empire’ of ‘bribes’
Washington, United States | AFP | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday accused China of seeking to build an “empire” by bribing leaders with investment and vowed to fight it “at every turn.” As tensions led by trade disputes soar between China and President Donald Trump’s administration, the …
Read More »From Twitter to hotels, Saudi’s sprawling business interests
Paris, France | AFP | Saudi Arabia’s global investment reach is impressive, stretching from stakes in Twitter and Uber to AccorHotels and Virgin Galactic — but the Khashoggi affair has thrown a harsh spotlight on its economic footprint. The following is a synopsis of the Kingdom’s investment portfolio. A 2017 …
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