Asia

South African lawmakers have voted to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and to suspend all diplomatic relations, the BBC reported. The governing African National Congress – which dominates parliament – has long been critical of Israel and it supported the motion in parliament. The motion called for the closure …

Former Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang has died at age 68 following a heart attack, Chinese state media reported on Friday. “Comrade Li Keqiang was recently taking rest in Shanghai. On October 26, he had a sudden heart attack and died at 00:10 on October 27 (Thursday at 16:10 GMT) …

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Sunday called on Hamas to release all Israeli “civilian hostages”, while declaring himself “very concerned” about Israeli bombings against “Palestinian civilians” in the Gaza strip. “Innocent civilians and children are paying the price,” he warned from Manila, at the …

Two South Africans have been killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has announced. Dirco announced the news on Friday, but did not reveal the identity of those who had died. “The Department of International Relations and Cooperation can …

At least 100 people died and 150 others were injured in a fire during a mega-wedding organized in a village hall in northern Iraq, according to a “preliminary assessment” announced Wednesday by the authorities. According to emergency services, “fireworks” and “highly flammable construction materials” were at the origin of the …

Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted the North Korean president’s invitation to visit the Asian country, the official North Korean agency KCNA reported and later confirmed by the Kremlin. The invitation comes after a meeting between the two leaders in Russia. “Kim Jong-un courteously invited Putin to visit the DPRK (Democratic …

China assured this Wednesday that it had not implemented a ban on iPhone brand phones in its ministries. In Chinese ministries, employees can not only use Apple iPhones, but also “other foreign brand phones.” “China has no laws, regulations or directives that prohibit the purchase or use of foreign brand …

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have annonced the lifting of a year-long visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers. The restriction placed last October was lifted following negotiations between Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, on Monday. President Tinubu’s spokesperson …

The Chinese government intends to play a “mediating role” in the political crisis in Niger, declared Jiang Feng, the Chinese ambassador to this country in an interview on Monday on Nigerien national television. “The Chinese government intends to play a role of good offices, of mediator, with total respect for …

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has called for an immediate resolution to disagreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that affected flights and issuing of visas. The UAE last year stopped issuing visas to Nigerians after Emirates airlines suspended flights after being unable to repatriate funds from the West African country …