Tag: conflict

UN calls for credible probe of Yemen bus strike which killed 29 children

  United Nations, United States (AFP) — The UN Security Council called for a “credible” investigation Friday after at least 29 children were killed in an air strike by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen. The appeal followed the coalition’s announcement that it had ordered a probe of Thursday’s raid in the northern rebel stronghold of Saada. Britain’s Ambassador Karen Pierce, whose country holds the rotating Security Council presidency, said after a closed-door meeting on […]

Senator Villar sees no conflict between Sandiganbayan ruling and bill creating trust fund for coconut farmers

(Eagle News)–For Senator Cynthia Villar, there is no conflict between a bicameral conference-approved bill creating a trust fund for coconut  farmers, and the Sandiganbayan ruling that ruled coco levy funds were owned by the government. According to Villar, chair of the Senate committee of agriculture and food, the “cash and the assets from Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund” amounting to about P105 billion under the measure “will be distributed to coconut farmers at the rate […]

Afghans bury victims of mosque attack as toll rises to 35

  KHOST, Afghanistan (AFP) — Hundreds of mourners Saturday buried the victims of a twin suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan, as the death toll rose to 35, officials said. Two suicide bombers dressed as women struck a Shiite mosque in Gardez, capital of Paktia province, Friday as it was crowded with worshippers for weekly prayers. The burqa-clad attackers shot at the mosque’s security guards before opening fire on worshippers then detonating […]

France, Russia to jointly deliver humanitarian aid to Syria

  PARIS, France (AFP) — France and Russia will jointly deliver humanitarian aid to the former Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the French Presidency said in a statement with Russia on Friday. A Russian cargo plane arrived late Friday in Chateauroux in central France to load 50 tons of medical equipment and essential goods provided by France, said an AFP videographer at the scene, to be transported to the former rebel area which was […]

US troops’ remains to be repatriated soon from N. Korea: Pompeo

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The repatriation of remains of US troops killed during the Korean War should begin shortly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday, starting a process agreed by President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “I think in the next couple weeks we will have the first remains returned,” Pompeo said during a meeting at the White House. Repatriating remains of US soldiers who perished during the 1950-53 […]

UN set to impose arms embargo on South Sudan

  by Carole Landry Agence France-Presse   UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The UN Security Council will vote Friday on imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and sanctions on two military officials after the latest diplomatic efforts failed to end nearly five years of war. The United States circulated a revised draft resolution on Thursday that diplomats said is likely to be adopted, imposing a ban on arms sales to South Sudan until May […]

Libyan sentenced to 22 years over Benghazi attack

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Libyan Ahmed Abu Khattala was sentenced Wednesday in Washington to 22 years in prison for his role in the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed a US ambassador and three others. Prosecutors were unable to convince a jury that Khattala, leader of a militant group who had been photographed watching the attack on September 11, 2012, was directly to blame for the deaths of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, a second State […]

Eritrea’s top diplomat in Ethiopia for historic talks

by Chris Stein Agence France-Presse ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP) – Ethiopia rolled out the red carpet and hosted a dinner for Eritrea’s top diplomat on Tuesday as the two nations took the next step in a historic initiative aimed at ending decades of conflict and hostility. The thaw between the foes who fought a bitter border war 20 years ago comes after an olive branch was dramatically offered by new Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. […]

UN Palestinian refugee agency struggles to meet deficit

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) – The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency needs more than $200 million to fund projects until the end of the year, with extra pledges so far unable to minimize a massive slash in donations from the United States. “Schools may not be able to open on time in August,” Miroslav Lajcak, the president of the General Assembly, told a pledging conference for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian […]

Israel mum on US claims it hit Iraq militia in Syria

JERUSALEM,Undefined(AF) —Israel declined to comment on Tuesday on a weekend air strike against an Iraqi paramilitary base in eastern Syria after its US ally implicated it in the attack. The Sunday evening strike against the Al-Hari base on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq came less than 24 hours after Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would strike Iran’s “proxies” anywhere in Syria. Fighters of Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, mainly composed of Iran-trained […]

Yemen rebel attack kills 12 soldiers south of Hodeida

AL DURAIHMI, Yemen (AFP) — A Yemeni rebel attack killed 12 pro-government soldiers south of the battleground Red Sea port city of Hodeida on Friday, military and medical sources said. The rebels launched the attack on the coast road from the government-held ports of Khokha and Mokha along which Saudi-backed troops advanced on Hodeida earlier this week, the military source said. Dozens of combatants have been killed since the offensive began on Wednesday and the […]

UN chief urged to raise Ukrainian prisoners in talks with Putin

  UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States, France, Britain and 35 other countries asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday to raise the case of jailed film director Oleg Sentsov and dozens of other Ukrainian prisoners during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week. The UN chief will hold talks with Putin on Wednesday and attend a Portugal-Morocco match during the World Cup that Russia is hosting. The 38 countries wrote […]