Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Resting on a hospital bed after a session of chemotherapy, Sudanese banker Mohamed Hasan vividly recalls the day when doctors told him he had blood cancer. It is a shock in any country but in Sudan, where access to drugs and treatment is impaired by 20-year-old …
Read More »US and China pressure North Korea after sanctions vote
Manila, Philippines | AFP | The United States and China piled pressure on North Korea Sunday to abandon its nuclear missile programme after the UN Security Council approved tough sanctions which could cost Pyongyang $1 billion a year. One day after Council members voted unanimously for a partial ban on exports …
Read More »UN toughens sanctions on North Korea
United Nations, United States | AFP | The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously backed a US-drafted resolution that significantly strengthened sanctions on North Korea, imposing a ban on exports aimed at depriving Pyongyang of $1 billion in annual revenue. The sweeping measures were the first of that scope to be …
Read More »Russia says US sanctions ‘dangerous’ and ‘short-sighted’
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia’s foreign ministry said Wednesday that new US sanctions, signed into law by President Donald Trump, are a “dangerous” and “short-sighted” policy. In a statement, the ministry said the sanctions against Russia had put global stability at risk, a matter Moscow said it and the United …
Read More »US House votes to slap sanctions on Russia, Iran, N. Korea
Washington, United States | AFP | The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to impose tough new sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, a move that will antagonize the Kremlin as well as European nations fearing economic ramifications. The measure notably constrains President Donald Trump’s ability to waive …
Read More »Iran’s tech sector blooms under shield of sanctions
Tehran, Iran | AFP | The names may be unfamiliar but the services are immediately recognisable: Snapp is Iran’s answer to Uber, Digikala is its Amazon, and Pintapin its Booking.com. US sanctions have protected the Islamic republic’s tech sector, barring Silicon Valley from profiting from one of the world’s most promising …
Read More »US praises Sudan counter-terror efforts
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States on Thursday praised Sudan’s efforts in fighting terrorism ahead of a decision expected in October on whether to lift decades-old sanctions on Khartoum. “The United States notes Sudan’s improved counterterrorism efforts through enhanced interagency and international cooperation to address the threat …
Read More »Sudan says to push for full lifting of US sanctions
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan said Thursday it would press on with efforts to achieve a full lifting of US sanctions against Khartoum, even as it hoped Washington would reverse its decision to extend a decades-old trade embargo. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump prolonged a review period to …
Read More »Washington extends review period for Sudan sanctions
Washington, United States | AFP |“I have decided more time is needed for this review to establish that the Government of Sudan has demonstrated sufficient positive action across all of those areas,” Trump’s order said, adding that “the Government of Sudan has made some progress”. Washington imposed a complex set …
Read More »As North Korea steps up sanctions-busting, UN notifies Uganda
United Nations, United States | AFP | North Korea is flouting tougher new UN sanctions with more ingenuous tactics, circumventing trade bans by relying on middlemen and front companies, notably in Malaysia and China, a report by UN sanctions experts says. The 100-page report, obtained by AFP, confirmed that North …
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