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 …
Read More »Turkey wants 18 Saudis extradited over Khashoggi murder
Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | Turkey on Friday said it wanted 18 Saudis extradited over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara still had more evidence to reveal in the case. The announcement came a day after the Saudi prosecutor said that based on …
Read More »Sudan lifts Egypt produce ban as Sisi visits Khartoum
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday lifted a 17-month long ban on agricultural imports from Egypt, during an official visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Khartoum. “I signed today a decision cancelling the ban on imports of Egyptian products,” Bashir told reporters after …
Read More »Maduro labels Pence ‘a madman’ for Venezuela caravan link
Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday labelled US Vice President Mike Pence “a madman” after he accused Caracas of financing the Honduras migrant caravan marching towards the United States. “What tremendous convening power I have in Central America, Mike Pence! If it wasn’t for an …
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