Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Sanctions on North Korea will remain in place until Pyongyang carries out “final” denuclearisation, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday. “Sanctions will remain in place until final, fully verified denuclearisation as agreed to by Chairman Kim (Jong Un) occurs,” Pompeo said, speaking in …
Read More »Iran says Trump ‘destabilising’ oil market
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran on Saturday accused US President Donald Trump of destabilising the oil market with his flurry of tweets taking aim at the OPEC cartel. “These days… the price is dependent on the behaviour of Mr. Trump,” Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said on state television. …
Read More »Egypt’s Sisi hails ‘breakthrough’ in Nile dam talks
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday that a “breakthrough” had been reached in talks with Sudan and Ethiopia over a controversial dam the latter is building on the Nile. The progress, which he did not specify, took place over the last two days …
Read More »Protests break out in London as Erdogan meets Queen, May
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Angry protests greeted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in London on Tuesday as he met Queen Elizabeth II and held talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. Minor scuffles broke out as pro-Erdogan counter-protesters walked in front of Kurdish demonstrators outside Downing Street, with police …
Read More »UN extends African peace mission in Somalia
United Nations, United States | AFP | A UN-backed peacekeeping mission in Somalia, which faces attacks by an Al-Qaeda affiliate, received unanimous Security Council backing Tuesday until July 31. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), with about 21,600 troops, operates with the approval of the UN and relies on …
Read More »WFP chief urges North Korea to grant more access
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea needs to allow more access and monitoring for international aid, the head of the UN’s World Food Programme said Tuesday following a four-day visit to the country. The WFP is one of the few aid agencies operating in the isolated country, which …
Read More »S.Africa recalls Israel ambassador over Gaza deaths
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel on Monday after at least 52 Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces during protests over the US embassy opening in Jerusalem. “Given the indiscriminate and grave manner of the latest Israeli attack, the South African …
Read More »Nigerian diplomat found dead in Sudan capital
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | A Nigerian diplomat has been found dead at his home in Khartoum, Nigeria’s government and Sudanese police said Thursday, with the latter investigating what it called a “criminal act”. “An employee in the consular section of the Nigerian embassy was found dead at his home …
Read More »Why Singapore for the Trump-Kim summit?
Singapore, Singapore | AFP | It has one foot in the East and one in the West, is ultra-modern, secure and sometimes mocked as being a little dull — Singapore was the safe pick for a historic first meeting between the unpredictable leaders of the US and North Korea. US …
Read More »World scrambles to save Iran deal that Trump tried to sink
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump faced diplomatic isolation on Wednesday as world powers scrambled to save a landmark deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program that he has rejected. Trump’s decision to withdraw from the accord and reimpose sanctions on the Islamic republic overturns years of diplomacy, …
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