The United States and Iran have largely negotiated an agreement. President Donald Trump stated this agreement includes opening the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei acknowledged a trend towards rapprochement. He cautioned this does not guarantee an agreement on key issues. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei noted what he called “a trend towards rapprochement,” but said, “it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues”.
Ebola is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, overwhelming healthcare New strain of virus, aid cuts, and cultural norms around burials and touch add to difficulties in stemming outbreakThe warnings from aid groups and healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been stark, their calls for coordinated international action impassioned. As the country reels from the return of the Ebola virus, there is growing concern that its fragile healthcare syste.
The World Health Organization revised its Ebola outbreak threat assessment to "very high" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Suspected cases nearly tripled in a week to almost 750. The outbreak has caused 177 suspected deaths. Situation described as ‘deeply worrisome’ by officials as aid cuts and community distrust impede respondersThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo poses a “very high” risk to the country, the World Health Organization said on Friday, revising its threat assessment upwards. The outbreak is spreading rapidly, WHO leaders said, with almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected death.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres repeated support for a two-state Israel-Palestine solution. The statement was routine and sparked little reaction. When the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres declares, once again, that “the only way” out of the Israeli-Palestinian impasse runs through two states, one is reminded less of a policy proposal than of a Latin Mass. The words are sacred.
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted for a landmark climate crisis ruling. Resolution backed by 141 states hailed as ‘new chapter’ that could improve climate diplomacy and litigation effortsWhen the UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a landmark climate crisis ruling on Wednesday, the Pacific island of Vanuatu’s prime minister hailed the result as the start of “a new chapter” in climate action.“The task before all of us now is to translate legal clarity.
An Iranian state media editor was summoned to court over a photo story showing a woman unveiled at home. The photos were deleted within hours. A state-approved photo story intended to celebrate motherhood and volunteerism became a political controversy in Iran because the images used showed a woman unveiled at home.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported slight progress in Pakistan-mediated Iran talks. He warned against Tehran's attempt to establish a toll in the Strait of Hormuz. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there has been "slight progress" in Pakistan-mediated talks to end the Iran war, while warning against what he described as Tehran's attempt to establish a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said no country should accept.
Iran's leadership was assassinated during negotiations. Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies Tell me, tell me lies Oh no-no, you can’t disguise – Fleetwood Mac Perfidy. There is no other word to describe the assassination of Iran’s leadership while negotiations were ongoing. It does not matter how evil they were, nor how juicy the window of opportunity [] The post Perfidious empire appeared first on Asia Times.
A senior UN envoy told the Security Council that delays in Gaza's transition As Gaza’s fragile ceasefire frays and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, a senior UN envoy warned the Security Council on Thursday that delays in implementing the Council-backed transition plan for the enclave will only increase suffering and undermine recovery.
The Security Council debated Gaza's future amid stalled peace progress. Discussions focused on governance and recovery. Conditions in the West Bank continue to deteriorate with mounting civilian casualties. The Security Council is discussing the stalled progress in Gaza as the fragile ceasefire there limps on, and deteriorating conditions across the West Bank amid continued civilian casualties and mounting humanitarian needs.
Canada is handing over asylum seekers rejected at its border to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement As Canada tightens asylum rules, refugees reuniting with family say they were turned over to ICE and jailed for months after failed border claimsAs each day in US detention passes, Markens Appolon can feel the life he had dreamed of slipping away. The 25-year-old fled Haiti to escape the rampant gang violence that upended his university studies in economics, and planned to join family in Montreal.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Alberta is "essential" to Canada's future. This follows the province's premier pushing for an independence referendum. A judge previously ruled an initiative to force a binding vote invalid. Separatists in Alberta had collected signatures for months. Alberta premier calls for referendum on secession after judge ruled initiative to force binding vote invalid The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has said that Alberta is “essential” to the country’s future, hours after the province’s leader moved the oil-rich region closer toward a referendum on independence. Separatists in the western province spent months collecting signatures seeking to tr.
Marco Rubio expressed doubt about diplomatic solutions with Cuba. He stated the likelihood of a negotiated agreement is not high. This follows President Trump renewing threats of military action against Havana. The administration also announced criminal charges against former leader Raúl Castro. US secretary of state says president would like a negotiated agreement with Havana but likelihood ‘is not high’The US president, Donald Trump, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Thursday again raised the spectre of military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against Raúl Castro, the island’s former.
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coalmine in China's northern Shanxi Xi Jinping urges authorities to ‘spare no effort’ in rescue operation after explosion in northern Shanxi provinceAt least 90 people have been killed in a gas explosion at a coalmine in China’s northern Shanxi province, making it the country’s deadliest mining accident since at least 2009. The gas explosion occurred late on Friday at the Liushenyu coalmine in Qinyuan county, with 247 workers on duty.
The Taliban government is encouraging foreign tourism, with travel influencers visiting Afghanistan and sharing positive experiences. These influencers often highlight the country's scenery and the hospitality they receive. However, this outreach occurs while Afghan women face severe restrictions. They are banned from education, most forms of employment, and public life. Critics argue that the focus on tourism downplays these human rights issues.
Xi Jinping praised the Make America Great Again slogan during the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing. China hawks Jake Sullivan and Aaron Friedberg downplayed the summit. Sullivan and Friedberg come from different political backgrounds. The praise is seen as a significant signal by Xi Jinping. Western mainstream media and podcasters have dismissed the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing. When you listen to Jake Sullivan and Aaron Friedberg, China hawks from diagonally opposite political background – the liberal elite of the Democratic party and the Republican neoconservative camp – they are competing with each other to disparage the summit as “much ado [] The post Xi Jinping’s praise of ‘Make A.
Bangladesh's government is rebranding the Rapid Action Battalion, a paramilitary force, due to its controversial history. The force has been renamed to distance itself from past actions. This move follows a pattern of renaming institutions in Bangladesh to deflect criticism. The rebranding is unlikely to address the underlying issues with the force. Bangladesh’s rulers have a habit of renaming institutions when they become politically radioactive.
Beijing banned Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090D V2 graphics card to support domestic rivals. The card was engineered for the Chinese market. Chinese online gamers and hobbyist artificial intelligence (AI) developers have been dealt a setback as Beijing banned the import of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090D V2, a graphics card specifically engineered for the Chinese market to comply with United States export rules, dealing another blow to the country’s technology community already caught in escalating chip-war tensions.
Dr. Inna Soldatenko fled Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 24 February 2022, after waking to explosions. She arrived in the United Kingdom with her daughter. Soldatenko is now working as a general practitioner in the UK's National Health Service. She is helping other Ukrainian refugees navigate the healthcare system. On 23 February 2022, in her home city of Kharkiv, Dr Inna Soldatenko finished work, collected her daughter from school, cooked dinner and prepared a lecture for her students.
US officials asked Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash exports. This would allow the product to transit through their territories. US officials have proposed that Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine lift sanctions on Belarusian potash to allow the transit of the agricultural product – a major source of hard currency revenue for Minsk --- through their territories.
A senior United Nations aid official stated the human cost of the Ukraine war defies international law. Russia accused Ukraine of targeting a student dormitory in Luhansk, reportedly killing six people including children. Kyiv denied targeting the civilian building, stating it struck a Russian military drone command headquarters. The Security Council is meeting at the request of Russia which on Friday accused Ukraine of targeting a student dormitory overnight in the occupied Luhansk region, reportedly killing six people – including children – and injuring dozens.
Belarus opposition struggles in exile six years after protests. Poor turnout for an online election underscores the daunting challenges faced by the largely exiled Belarusian democratic opposition six years after a groundswell of popular protests raised hopes for change in a country ruled by authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko since 1994.
In Central Asia, newborn boys outnumber girls due to sex-selective abortions. Families terminate pregnancies when a daughter is expected, driven by pressure to bear sons. This practice has led to a skewed birth ratio, with boys outnumbering girls at a rate higher than the global average. Pregnant women often do not make this choice freely. In Central Asia, newborn boys outnumber girls at a rate well beyond the worldwide average.
The International Court of Justice ruled the right to strike is protected under an International Labour Organization convention. This advisory opinion resolves a dispute between workers and employers. The decision clarifies protections for collective bargaining. The UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday ruled that the right to strike is protected under a core International Labour Organization (ILO) convention, in a landmark advisory opinion settling a long-running dispute between workers and employers worldwide.
