Sudan’s main protest group called on Monday for civil disobedience and a general strike as meetings with the country’s military rulers failed to provide any breakthrough on the formation of a joint civilian-military transitional council. As tension between the two sides rose, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) said in a ... Read More »
Sri Lanka wakes to emergency law after Easter bombing attacks
Sri Lankans woke to emergency law on Tuesday as authorities searched for those behind suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels that killed 290 people over the weekend, with the focus turning to militants with links to foreign groups. No group has yet to claim responsibility for Easter Sunday’s ... Read More »
How EU elections are dividing the European parliament over Brexit
Analysis: The stresses and strains on EU unity are bubbling up in Brussels EU unity has been one of the great surprises of Brexit: the bloc’s 27 remaining member states have managed to hold a united front in public in a way the UK – a single country – could ... Read More »
US toughens stance on Iran, ending exemptions from oil sanctions
Mike Pompeo says any nation interacting with Iran should do its diligence and err on the side of caution The US has announced it will no longer exempt countries from sanctions that aim to impose a complete oil embargo on Iran. Officials said the Trump administration would not renew ... Read More »
Turkey says buying Russian defense system should not trigger U.S. sanctions
Turkey’s purchase of a Russian air defense missile system should not trigger U.S. sanctions because Ankara is not an adversary of Washington and remains committed to the NATO alliance, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday. Speaking at a U.S.-Turkey conference in Washington as tensions mount between the two NATO ... Read More »
Notre Dame fire: Macron pledges to rebuild devastated Paris cathedral
Fire brought under control on Tuesday but spire of centuries-old landmark destroyed after flames burst through the roof A fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Paris was brought under control by firefighters in the early hours of Tuesday morning, though officials warned there were still residual ... Read More »
Kim Jong-un vows to deliver ‘serious blow’ over sanctions
North Korean leader says ‘hostile forces’ are determined to bring country to its knees Kim Jong-un has vowed to deliver a “serious blow” to hostile countries he accused of using sanctions to bring the regime “to its knees”, according to the country’s state media. The North Korean leader’s broadside against ... Read More »
Exclusive: Egypt withdraws from U.S.-led anti-Iran security initiative – sources
Egypt has pulled out of the U.S. effort to forge an “Arab NATO” with key Arab allies, according to four sources familiar with the decision, in a blow to the Trump administration’s strategy to contain Iranian power. Egypt conveyed its decision to the United States and other participants in the ... Read More »
Sudan’s army to make ‘important statement’ as protesters call for Bashir to go
As analysts fear collapse of law and order army says it will address nation ‘soon’ The Sudanese army will make an “important statement soon”, state television and radio announced on Thursday morning, as thousands of protesters camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum demanding the resignation of President Omar al-Bashir. ... Read More »
In unprecedented move, U.S. names Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group
President Donald Trump said on Monday he would name Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, in an unprecedented step that drew Iranian condemnation and raised concerns about retaliatory attacks on U.S. forces. The action by Trump, who has taken a hard line toward Iran by withdrawing from ... Read More »