24 june, Riyadh- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived on Monday in Saudi Arabia for a regional visit to discuss Iran-related topics, Al Arabiya TV reported.
Pompeo is expected to meet King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, before flying to the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. Secretary of State told reporters before departing that Washington wanted talks with Tehran even as it planned to impose “significant” new economic sanctions. (RSS)
24 june, Seoul- U.S. President Donald Trump will make a two-day visit to South Korea this weekend, the South Korean presidential Blue House said Monday.
Blue House spokesperson Ko Min-jung told a press briefing that Trump will officially visit South Korea for two days from Saturday to hold a summit meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday.
During the talks, Moon and Trump will make an in-depth discussion on how to closely cooperate between the two countries over the complete denuclearization of and the lasting peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula while solidifying the bilateral alliance further, the spokesperson noted.
The Moon-Trump summit would come less than three months after their latest meeting in Washington in April.
The last Trump trip to Seoul was made in November 2017. Before visiting South Korea, Trump was set to participate in the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Osaka, Japan, from Friday to Saturday.
The Blue House spokesperson said the upcoming Trump visit to South Korea would come at the invitation of Moon.She added that detailed schedules for Trump in South Korea, which were currently under discussions, will be unveiled later when fixed. (RSS)
24 june, dhaka- A train derailment in northeastern Bangladesh has killed at least four people and injured about 100 people, an official said Monday.
The accident took place in Moulvibazar district, some 203 km away from the capital Dhaka.Nurun Nabi, a local fire service official, told Xinhua that the accident happened around 11:50 p.m. local time on Sunday night.
According to the official, one of the carriages of the train, Upaban Express, heading to Dhaka from northeaster Sylhet city, fell into a canal while two others fell close to the canal’s banks.
According to the official, rescue services were at the scene. He said the death toll may rise.The cause of the accident is being investigated. (RSS)
24 june, yaounde- About 22 people were killed and several others injured on Sunday along the Batie-Baham road in Cameroon’s West Region after a bus carrying them skidded and collided head-on with a truck, police said.
“Nineteen people died at the scene of the accident and the three others died in the hospital where doctors were trying to save their lives,” the region’s governor, Augustine Awa Fonka told reporters.
Police said the death toll will likely increase because there were still dead bodies buried beneath the damaged bus.
Deadly road accidents are common in Cameroon often due to poor road conditions, reckless driving and overloading. (RSS)
24 june, Rihadh- A Yemeni rebel attack on a civilian airport in southern Saudi Arabia killed a Syrian national and wounded 21 other civilians Sunday, a Riyadh-led coalition said, in a new escalation following a series of strikes on the site.
The attack on Abha airport, which the coalition said left a McDonalds outlet at the site littered with shattered glass and damaged 18 vehicles, comes amid spiralling regional tensions with Iran.
The escalation of attacks by Iran-aligned Huthi rebels on Saudi cities threatens a hard-won UN-sponsored ceasefire deal for the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, war-ravaged Yemen’s main conduit for humanitarian aid.
“A terrorist attack by the Iran-backed Huthi militia on Abha airport… killed a Syrian resident and wounded 21 civilians,” the coalition said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
The wounded — from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India and Bangladesh — also included three women and two children who had been taken to hospital for treatment, the coalition said.
It did not provide details on how the airport was attacked, but Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have repeatedly struck the civilian facility this month with drones and missiles.Earlier on Sunday, the rebels’ Al-Masirah TV said they had targeted Abha and Jizan airports in the south of the kingdom with drones.The coalition did not confirm the attack on Jizan airport.
Abha airport authorities said on Twitter that air traffic had resumed and operatons were running normally, without saying how long they were disrupted.
On June 12, a rebel missile attack on Abha airport wounded 26 civilians, drawing promises of “stern action” from the coalition. Human Rights Watch denounced the strike as an apparent “war crime”, urging the Huthis to immediately stop all attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
The latest raids come amid spiralling regional tensions after Washington — a key ally of Riyadh — accused Iran of shooting down a US drone and carrying out attacks on oil tankers in the strategic Gulf of Oman.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Britain and the US, in a joint statement published on Saudi state media on Sunday, voiced alarm over escalating regional tensions and the “dangers posed by Iranian destabilising activity”.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying sophisticated weapons to Huthi rebels, a charge Tehran denies.
Following recent attacks, Saudi state media have reported an intensification of coalition air raids on rebel positions in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah and the Huthi-held capital Sanaa. The coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile as the rebels closed in on his last remaining territory in and around second city Aden.
Since then, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say.
It has triggered what the UN describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 24 million Yemenis — more than two-thirds of the population — in need of aid.
On Thursday the Saudi campaign in Yemen suffered a double blow as US lawmakers voted to block Trump’s arms sales to Riyadh, just hours after Britain temporarily suspended similar sales. (RSS)
24 june, porto alegre – An early goal by Lautaro Martinez and Sergio Aguero’s late second gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Qatar on Sunday that qualified them for the Copa America quarter-finals.
Already-qualified Colombia beat Paraguay 1-0 in the other Group B match to secure a place in the last eight for both Peru, who finished third in Group A, and Uruguay, currently second in Group C.
Argentina, who finish second in Group B behind Colombia, will play Venezuela at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana stadium in the quarter-finals, while tournament debutants and guests Qatar are out.
Paraguay, on two points, must wait and see what happens in Monday’s Group C clash between Japan and Ecuador before finding out if they qualify as one of the two best third-place finishers.
Peru, with four points, are sure of that while only a draw between Japan and Ecuador would see Paraguay progress.Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni recalled Manchester City forward Aguero for the crunch tie while Martinez kept his place at the expense of Angel Di Maria.
Asian champions Qatar made a calamitous start when a weak headed clearance from Tarek Salman fell to Martinez 12 yards out, but the Inter Milan forward sent his volley over the top.
He didn’t have to wait long for another chance though as Bassam Hisham played a ball across his box and straight to the feet of the Argentina forward, who scuffed a shot into the bottom corner after just four minutes.
“The goal came early and that allowed us to approach the game with greater calmness,” said Martinez.
“There was pressure, we had to win to progress and we’re happy. Now we have to work hard.”With the weight was lifted from Argentina’s shoulders, they played with a freedom expected of a side boasting talents such as Aguero and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Qatar played with limited ambition but their talented forwards looked dangerous when they did venture into the final third.
Hasan Khalid Al Haydos got in behind the Argentina backline and tried to chip Franco Armani but the goalkeeper got a touch to divert the ball behind, although the linesman’s flag was up and it wouldn’t have counted.
“We paid for inexperience, we started two matches by conceding goals from unnecessary actions,” said Qatar’s Spanish coach Felix Sanchez, alluding to their opening tie against Paraguay when they also conceded in the fourth minute.”We played a great team that knew they had to win, they took their first chance really well. It was our mistake.”
– Aguero industry rewarded –
Messi burst into life with an acceleration towards Qatar’s area before slipping a pass to Aguero, who dragged his left-footed shot wide under pressure.
Qatar were sporadically dangerous on the break and Portuguese-born Ro-Ro stole in at the back post to meet a Karim Boudiaf cross but couldn’t direct his volley on target.
Up the other end, Nicolas Otamendi headed over from close range when it looked easier to score.Argentina almost scored a second after Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb spilled a header by Martinez causing a scramble in the box, but neither Aguero nor Martinez could poke the ball home.
Iraq-born Hisham almost made amends for his earlier gaffe with a free-kick at the end of the half but his shot, which passed through the Argentina wall, cliped the outside of the upright.
Another direct Messi run set up Aguero but his shot was deflected over by Algeria-born Boualem Khoukhi.Aguero then drew a save from Al-Sheeb with a shot from outside the area.
Qatar made few chances but when they did, Akram Afif snatched at his effort from distance when a smarter move would have been to play in a runner from midfield.
Aguero finally scored the goal his industry deserved with a purposeful run past two defenders before sending a cross-shot into the far bottom corner eight minutes from time.
Already guaranteed of winning the group, Colombia’s Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz made 10 changes to his line-up, with only Juventus forward Juan Cuadrado retaining his place.
They took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Gustavo Cuellar scored through goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez’s legs from a tight angle.In the second half Colombia had a goal and a penalty award chalked off by VAR. (RSS)
24 june, kuwait- Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Monday condemned the attack on Abha Airport of Saudi Arabia.
In a cable sent to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the emir expressed Kuwait’s strong condemnation of the attack on Abha Airport, stressing that “such terrorist act was a blatant violation of international laws and a perilous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region.”
He also stressed Kuwait’s stand alongside Saudi Arabia and its full support for measures it takes to ensure security and stability of the kingdom.
He expressed sincere condolences to the family of the victim and wished a speedy recovery to the injured in the attack. At least one person was killed and eight others injured in an attack that targeted the Abha International Airport in the southern province of Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Al Arabiya TV reported.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said that they launched multiple drone strikes on two Saudi regional airports on Sunday, the group’s al-Masirah TV reported. (RSS)
21 june, pyongyang- General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chinese President Xi Jinping departed here Friday for home after concluding a two-day state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. (RSS)
21 june, cape town- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called for concerted efforts nationwide to reduce the violent crime in the country at least by half in the next decade.
“Let us therefore work together to ensure that violent crime is at least halved over the next decade,” he said in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament since his re-election in May, noting that the social problem demands a nationwide response.
In South Africa, official statistics showed that between April 2017 and April 2018, crime cases against individuals topped 1.6 million, up 5 percent from the previous year.
In efforts to reduce crime, Ramaphosa said his government will beef up the police force through more recruitments, including increasing the student enrollment in police training colleges, introduce increased citizen participation in efforts against violent crime, and improve success rates in investigating and prosecuting crimes.
Meanwhile, “We are working with civil society organizations on strategies to end gender-based violence and femicide,” said the South African president, citing the work underway to build Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council and a national strategic plan to guide related efforts. According to Ramaphosa, the South African government is also stepping up the fight against drug syndicates. (RSS)
21 june, lamahi- Medical test for sickle cell anemia is now available at Rapti Provincial Hospital Tulasipur of Dang district.
The hospital started this service with the installation of the ‘electrophoresis’ machine with the financial assistance of the State 5 government and the Tulasipur Sub-Metropolitan City. This is the first time this service has been made available in Dang district.
Officiating medical superintendent Dr Sarbesh Sharma said the device was purchased for Rs 1.8 million. The State 5 government had contributed one million rupees while the Sub-Metropolitan City provided Rs 800 thousand.
According to him, all tests for sickle cell anemia would be provided from the hospital with the availability of the modern electrophoresis machine and the patients with this condition would be referred for medication.
Dang district with Tharu majority population lacked the diagnostic device for sickle cell anemia before this and the people had to either travel to Nepalgunj or Kathmandu for tests.
Many patients also did not show interest for undergoing the test as they had to go outside their district which they could not afford to. This genetic disease is found mostly in the Tharu community. (RSS)