London, United Kingdom | AFP | The rejection Tuesday of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s proposal for extra sanctions on Russia and Syria is the latest setback for a former Brexit campaigner struggling for political relevance. The decision by the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Italy came after Johnson …
Read More »China’s Xi praises normalisation of ties with Norway
Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday praised the normalisation of relations with Norway, six years after a dispute over the Nobel Peace Prize, as Norway’s prime minister said she was glad to be back. The visit by Erna Solberg is the first high-level exchange since December, …
Read More »Trump drops China bashing during warm Xi summit
Palm Beach, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump ditched his trademark anti-China bombast, hailing an “outstanding” relationship with counterpart Xi Jinping at the end of a superpower summit Friday overshadowed by events in Syria. “We have made tremendous progress in our relationship with China,” Trump said effusively …
Read More »US to end funding for UN Population Fund over abortion claims
Washington, United States | AFP | The US government plans to stop funding the United Nations Population Fund because of the organization’s “coercive” family planning practices, including providing abortions, officials in Washington said late Monday. According to a State Department official, President Donald Trump has instructed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson …
Read More »Britain apologises after egg thrown at Saudi general
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Britain has apologised after an egg was thrown at a Saudi military official during a visit to London, Saudi state media said Sunday. An anti-war activist last week attempted a citizen’s arrest of General Ahmed Assiri, spokesman for the Saudi-led Gulf coalition fighting rebels in …
Read More »A timeline of key events in the Kim assassination
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | The body of the assassinated half-brother of North Korea’s leader, which has been stored in a Malaysian morgue for more than six weeks, will be sent to Pyongyang under a deal announced Thursday. Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned with a lethal nerve agent in a brazen …
Read More »Kim body to be sent to North Korea, Malaysians freed
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | The body of Kim Jong-Nam will be returned to North Korea and nine Malaysians in Pyongyang allowed to leave under a deal struck between the two countries, Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak said Thursday. North Korean citizens in Kuala Lumpur will also be allowed to …
Read More »World leaders ‘stand’ with Britain after London attack
Paris, France | AFP | World leaders on Wednesday unanimously condemned the suspected terrorist attack in the heart of London by an attacker who was shot dead by armed police, with many saying they “stand” with Britain. At least three people were killed and 20 injured in the attack outside parliament …
Read More »China’s Xi calls for peace in meeting with Netanyahu
Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese President Xi Jinping called Tuesday for peace between Israel and an independent Palestine “as soon as possible” during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, state media reported. “A peaceful, stable and developing Middle East is the common interest of all parties… China appreciates …
Read More »Pope Francis to visit Egypt on April 28-29
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis will visit Cairo on April 28-29 at the invitation of the Egyptian president and the grand imam of the capital’s famed Al-Azhar mosque, the Vatican said Saturday. The pontiff had hosted the grand imam, Ahmed al-Tayeb, at the Vatican last May, …
Read More »