Afghanistan embassies in Britain and Norway loyal to the pro-Western authorities ousted by the Taliban in 2021 discreetly shut down this autumn, as the West seeks a more pragmatic approach to the country’s Islamic rulers.The embassy of Afghanistan in London closed on September 27, following the mission in Oslo which shut down on September 12.Both …
Taliban score successes with embassy closures, COP attendance Read More »
US top diplomat Antony Blinken will meet with NATO and EU officials Wednesday to urgently discuss ramping up support for Ukraine before Donald Trump reclaims the White House — potentially jeopardising future aid.After landing in Brussels late Tuesday, the secretary of state’s one-day visit will see him meet NATO chief Mark Rutte, European Union diplomacy …
Blinken in Brussels as Trump win raises alarm over Ukraine Read More »
Chinese leader Xi Jinping headed to Peru on Wednesday, bound for a meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organisation leaders overshadowed by fears of renewed global trade tensions under Donald Trump.Xi will join leaders from the United States and other Asia-Pacific nations in the Peruvian capital Lima for the APEC gathering, after which he will …
China’s Xi heads to Peru for APEC meeting shrouded in Trump fears Read More »
Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, will lead a new US government efficiency group tasked with cutting federal waste, as the Republican president-elect added a series of seasoned figures and hardliners to his incoming administration.Musk became a key ally to Trump during his campaign, reportedly spending over $100 million to …
Trump names Musk to ‘efficiency’ post as team takes shape Read More »
Palau’s president has accused China of flouting the Pacific nation’s maritime borders, raising concerns about research vessels lurking “uninvited” within its waters.”We keep on raising flags and complaining about it, but they keep on sending them,” said President Surangel Whipps Jr, the pro-US leader re-elected this week. “They continually don’t respect our sovereignty and our boundaries …
Palau president says China flouting its ocean boundaries Read More »
Electric vehicles need batteries, and most batteries are made with lithium, a critical material European automakers are chasing as they face tough competition from China.Now an Australian firm says it can help, with a refinery in Germany set to extract the sought-after mineral from briny underground water deep below a town near the French border.Vulcan …
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A controversial trade deal between the EU and South America’s Mercosur bloc is back in the spotlight with rekindled optimism that the two sides could conclude an agreement before the year is over.The blockbuster trade pact between the 27-country European Union and Mercosur countries — Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay — has been 25 years …
New push for EU-South America trade deal despite French fury Read More »
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed Tuesday on an emergency trip to Brussels to discuss how to support Ukraine with European allies in the race before Donald Trump takes the White House.The top US diplomat under outgoing President Joe Biden will meet Wednesday “with his NATO and European Union counterparts to discuss support for …
Blinken in emergency Brussels trip on Ukraine after Trump win Read More »
Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia at the centre of a diplomatic storm, holds a presidential election on Wednesday at a tense moment in the Horn of Africa.The territory on the northwest point of Somalia unilaterally declared independence in 1991 and has been far more stable and peaceful than the rest of the country since …
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is set to visit Tehran on Wednesday for crucial talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, warning just ahead of his trip that room for manoeuvre is narrowing.His visit comes only two days after the defence minister of Iran’s nemesis Israel warned the Islamic republic was “more exposed than ever …
UN nuclear chief heads to Iran for crucial talks Read More »
