Russia calls moves to oust Venezuela’s Maduro illegal: Ifax
Russia considers moves to force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power to be illegal, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency on Thursday.
Saudi crown prince offers full support for Iraq’s security: Iraq PM’s office
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Thursday offered his full support for Iraq’s continued security in a phone call to Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.
Australia says one of its nationals, a former Chinese diplomat, being held in Beijing
A former Chinese diplomat who has Australian citizenship is being held in residential detention in China, government ministers said, and Canberra was disappointed in how long it took Beijing to notify them after the man went missing.
China says Australian Yang held on suspicion of endangering state security
Chinese authorities are holding Australian Yang Hengjun in Beijing on suspicion of endangering state security, China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Turkish foreign minister says nothing certain about Syria secure zone
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday nothing was yet certain about the planned establishment of a secure zone in northern Syria, but Ankara and Washington’s views were in line aside from a couple of points.
Australian writer held in China suspected of espionage, lawyer says
An Australian writer detained in China is being held on suspicion of espionage, his lawyer told Reuters on Thursday.
Barnier says time-limited Irish backstop not possible
The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that the “backstop” provision in the agreement for Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc could not be time-limited, since that would defeat its purpose of guaranteeing no hard Irish border.
Irish police could be deployed to border in no-deal Brexit: paper
Hundreds of Irish police officers could be deployed to guard the border with British-run Northern Ireland if Britain leaves the European Union without a withdrawal pact in March, the Irish Independent newspaper said on Thursday.
China could gain, U.S. lose from Japan-South Korea feuds: Japan PM adviser
Beijing could gain and Washington lose if feuding persists between U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, a foreign policy adviser to Japan’s premier said on Thursday after the latest row involving a Japanese patrol plane and South Korean warship.
South Sudan embraces old enemy Sudan, now rocked by protests
Embattled Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is receiving words of support from some unlikely places as he faces deadly protests calling for him to step down.
