Sudanese envoy asks UN Security Council to review Darfur sanctions

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday asked the Security Council to review its sanctions regime on the Darfur region. The situation that prevailed in 2005, when the sanctions regime was expanded to include Sudanese government forces in Darfur, has changed completely,…

11 Hashd Shaabi members killed in suicide attack in central Iraq

SAMARRA (Iraq), Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eleven Iraqi fighters were killed north of Baghdad on Thursday when two suicide bombers attacked a base of Saraya al-Salam, an armed group led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi army said. The attack, which also wounded three fighters, was carried out by…

Fatah deputy chief meets UN envoy over Palestinian elections

UN Envoy for the peace process in the Middle East Nikolai Mladenov RAMALLAH, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — Mahmoud al-Aloul, vice president of Palestinian Fatah party, on Thursday met with the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Miladinov in the West Bank city of Ramallah over steps…

Argentine government confirms arrival of ex-Bolivian Pres Evo Morales as a “refugee”

Bolivia’s ex-President Evo Morales  BUENOS AIRES, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bolivia’s ex-President Evo Morales arrived in Argentina on Thursday and will remain in the country under “refugee” status, said the Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola. “He has just arrived, he has come to stay. He entered as an asylum…

At least 6 killed in multi-vehicle crash in southern Philippines

MANILA, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — At least six people, including four children, were killed in a crash involving multiple vehicles in Mindanao in the southern Philippines early Friday, police said. Police said the crash, which happened at around 4 a.m. local time along a national highway in Tacurong City in…

Chinese taste for almonds drives Aussie region’s horticulture boom

A RECORD Australian almond harvest is being matched by strong demand from China SYDNEY, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — Horticulture in the Australian State of Victoria’s Murray-Mallee region has expanded at its fastest rate in 10 years, half of which was almond crop, driven by a surge in demand from China.…

Russia expels 2 German diplomats in tit-for-tat retaliation

Russian embassy in Berlin MOSCOW, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday declared two employees of the German embassy in Russia “personae non gratae” and demanded they leave Russia within seven days in retaliation for Germany’s expulsion of two Russian diplomats earlier this month. German Ambassador to…

Sudan’s leader calls for support by Arab countries

Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan KHARTOUM, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan urged Arab countries to stand in solidarity with Sudan. Al-Burhan made the remarks when addressing the conclusion of the 39th session of the General Assembly of the Arab States…

German FM rejects planned US sanctions over Nord Stream 2

A man works on the construction site for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, Germany BERLIN, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas rejected the planned sanctions by the United States against companies working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that runs from Russia to Germany…

Turkey rejects US Congress bill as disrespect for sovereign decisions

ANKARA, Dec 13 (NNN-Xinhua) — Turkey rejected a bill supporting sanctions against Ankara passed by the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee as a disrespect for its sovereign decisions on national security. The initiatives conducted in both houses of the Congress through “internal political considerations and supported by known anti-Turkish circles…