Iran’s president hopes Biden unravels Trump’s Iran policies
Tehran: Iran’s president reiterated his hope Wednesday that US President-elect Joe Biden would return America’s Iran policy to where he left things as vice president four years ago, state TV reported, rejoining Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. Hassan Rouhani said that if Iran and the US could find a path back to “the situation […]
Paris police under fire for forcing migrants from tent camp
Paris: Paris police are under government orders to explain themselves after officers were filmed tossing migrants out of tents while evacuating a makeshift camp in the French capital. Aid groups were working Tuesday to find temporary lodging for a few hundred migrants forcibly removed from the short-lived camp on the Place de la Republique in […]
China criticises Pope over comment on Uighur Muslim minority
Beijing: China criticised Pope Francis on Tuesday over a passage in his new book in which he mentions suffering by China’s Uighur Muslim minority group. Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Francis’ remarks had “no factual basis at all.” “People of all ethnic groups enjoy the full rights of survival, development, and freedom of religious […]
European powers see hope for Iran accord in US transition
Berlin: The German, French and British foreign ministers were meeting Monday to discuss the future of the international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program amid hopes that the incoming U.S. administration might help breathe new life into the accord, Germany’s Foreign Ministry said. The three European powers have spearheaded efforts to keep alive the agreement, concluded […]
Israeli PM flew to Saudi Arabia, met crown prince: Reports
Jerusalem: Israeli media reported Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Saudi Arabia for a clandestine meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which would mark the first known encounter between senior Israeli and Saudi officials. Hebrew-language media cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying that Netanyahu and Yossi Cohen, head of Israel’s Mossad […]
Yemen rebels claim attack on Saudi oil facility in Jiddah
Dubai: Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they struck a Saudi oil facility in the port city of Jiddah on Monday with a new cruise missile, just hours after the kingdom finished hosting its virtual Group of 20 leaders summit. The kingdom did not immediately acknowledge any attack as videos on social media suggested a fire at […]
G-20 summit opens as leaders urge united response to virus
Dubai: The Group of 20 summit opened on Saturday with appeals by the world’s most powerful leaders to collectively chart a way forward as the coronavirus pandemic overshadows this year’s gathering, transforming it from in-person meetings to a virtual gathering of speeches and declarations. The pandemic, which has claimed more than 1.37 million lives worldwide, […]
Pledges by big polluters boost Paris hopes: UN climate chief
Berlin: The UN’s climate chief says deadlines set by some of the world’s top polluters to end greenhouse gas emissions, along with president-elect Joe Biden’s pledge to take the United States back into the Paris accord, have boosted hopes of meeting the pact’s ambitious goals. The agreement signed in the French capital five years ago […]
Biden’s DIY transition proceeds without Trump assistance
Wilmington, Delaware (US): President Donald Trump’s refusal to cooperate with his successor is forcing President-elect Joe Biden to seek unusual workarounds to prepare for the exploding public health threat and evolving national security challenges he will inherit in just nine weeks. Blocked from the official intelligence briefing traditionally afforded to incoming presidents, Biden gathered virtually […]
Rebels kill at least 35 in eastern Congo, officials say
Kinshasa (Congo): Armed rebels have killed at least 35 people in eastern Congo’s Beni region this week, according to local officials. The bodies of 29 people were found after a mass killing in Kavuyiri in Virunga National Park, according to a statement from the provincial governor. It was not clear when the attack occurred. Another […]
