Reuters,Washington :Washington is working to push through contracts for tens of billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia,...
Reuters, Cairo : Egypt’s foreign ministry summoned Qatar’s ambassador on Saturday to complain about interference in its internal affairs after Doha criticized Cairo’s crackdown on the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. The formerly close Qatari-Egyptian relationship has soured since the Egyptian army ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, who had been firmly supported by Doha, last July following mass protests against his one-year rule. Cairo then launched a wide crackdown against Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood group and labeled it a terrorist group last week....
BBC Online : Direct talks on ending the conflict in South Sudan have officially opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The negotiations are focusing on bringing about a ceasefire and the release of political prisoners. The talks, led by teams representing the warring parties, are expected to get under way in earnest on Sunday. Rebels supporting sacked Deputy President Riek Machar are involved in fierce fighting with the forces of President Salva Kiir. At least 1,000 people have been...
AP, Indonesia : Authorities extended a danger zone around a rumbling volcano in western Indonesia on Sunday after it spewed...
BBC Online : The US says it is speeding up the supply of military equipment to Iraq to help its government fight militant groups in western Anbar province. The White House said additional surveillance drones would be delivered within weeks and more Hellfire missiles sent in the next few months. Fighting in Anbar has led to some of the heaviest clashes in Iraq for years. Iraqi forces are preparing for an assault on the city of Fallujah, which has fallen...
BBC Online : A US ice-breaker is to help two ships that are stuck in thick ice in Antarctica following a rescue mission. The Polar Star has been asked to cut a path through the ice in order to free the Xue Long and the Akademik Shokalskiy, the US Coast Guard said. The Chinese boat, Xue Long, became ice-bound after helping to rescue 52 passengers stranded on Akademik Shokalskiy on Thursday. The Russian research vessel has been trapped since 24...
TNN, New Delhi : Delhi Jal Board, which is also headed by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, decided to transfer 800 officials in its water emergencies and water filling points on Monday. Termed as one of the “biggest reshuffles” in the history of the organization, the move came shortly after DJB set up a task force to crack down on tanker mafia. The decision was taken by the new CEO, Vijay Kumar, who was brought in specially by Kejriwal shortly...
Al-jazeera.com : Thousands of anti-government protesters have marched through the Thai capital, a prelude to a broader action next week when they say they will shut down Bangkok in their bid to scuttle a February election and topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. “We will keep walking, we won’t stop, We will walk until we win and we won’t give up.” The protesters, who accuse Yingluck of being the puppet of her self-exiled brother and former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, gathered on...
Reuters, Jerusalem : US Secretary of State John Kerry voiced confidence on Sunday the Iraqi government and tribes would be...
BBC Online : A Spanish judge has summoned the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos to appear in court over...
BBC Online : Parts of the US are braced for potentially record-breaking low temperatures as an Arctic chill brings more freezing weather. A winter storm has already blanketed areas of Canada and the north-eastern US with up to 2ft (60 cm) of snow. It has been blamed for 16 deaths and the cancellation of more than 5,000 flights since Wednesday. Forecasters say temperatures in the US Mid-West could feel as low as -58F (-50C) with the effect of wind chill....