Trump scales back military drills with South Korea because of ‘good friend’ Kim

-
By Kang Jin-kyu, with Matthew Pennington in Washington AFP | Posted by TOE Donald Trump said he ordered the Pentagon to scale back “inappropriate and hostile” military drills with South Korea, hours before the exercises began on Monday. The US president cited his “good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in his latest rebuke to long-standing alliances with Western partners. South Korean officials said the exercises had begun as planned and that they hoped the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim would bring them back to talks. North Korea has not responded publicly, though it has previously voiced anger at the regular joint manoeuvres, which take place in the South. The drills began as American allies in East Asia fret over North Korean displays of weapons capabilities and its growing alignment with Russia as well as traditional backer China. “Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I ...
Post a Comment

Kosovo heads for another early election in a prolonged political crisis

-

Kosovo is heading for its third parliamentary election in over a year after lawmakers repeatedly failed to elect a new president, pushing the young Balkan nation into renewed political uncertainty.

Parliament, which is tasked with choosing the president, on Tuesday faced a midnight deadline to choose a successor to Vjosa Osmani, whose term expired earlier this month. When it failed to do so, the legislature was automatically dissolved.

The early election must be held within the next 45 days, but a date was not immediately announced.

Political analyst Ilir Deda predicted that the election is likely to be held in June. The vote, Deda added, will test “whether people are willing to hold politicians accountable.”

The small Balkan country of 2 million people has faced political turmoil since an election in February 2025 ended inconclusively.

A new government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti was formed after an early vote on Dec. 28 but another crisis emerged over who should succeed Osmani.

To choose a president, Kosovo’s 120-member assembly needs a quorum of at least 80 lawmakers. Opposition, however, boycotted the session because of a lack of agreement on a candidate, effectively blocking the vote.

The political uncertainty has already affected Kosovo’s economy and undermined voters’ faith in the system.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following a war in 1998-99. Belgrade does not recognize the split, and unresolved relations between the rivals have been a source of concern in the volatile Balkans.

The European Union has told Kosovo and Serbia that they must mend ties if they want to advance in their efforts to join the 27-nation bloc.

SOURCE: AP AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/iDjmGfW

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises as fresh tremors further complicate rescue efforts

-
Image
A5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was part of a series of aftershocks following Friday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which resulted in the collapse of numerous buildings and significant infrastructure damage. The death toll has risen to over 1,600, with more than 3,400 individuals reported missing; these numbers are expected to increase as rescue operations continue. Foreign rescue teams and supplies arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to help the impoverished country cope with an earthquake that killed over 1,600 and left many near the epicentre scrambling for help without proper equipment. The 7.7-magnitude quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted the Southeast Asian nation on Friday, leaving 1,644 people dead, 3,408 injured and 139 missing, the military government said. India, China and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief ...
Read more

Israel says situation on Lebanon border ‘not sustainable’

-
By James Mackenzie Reuters  Israeli officials and media reacted with satisfaction on Monday after a  long-expected missile attack  by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement appeared to have been largely thwarted by pre-emptive Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and Israel seemed content to let Sunday’s attack, in retaliation for the  killing of a senior Hezbollah commander  in Beirut last month, count as settled for the moment. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Hezbollah had suffered a “crushing blow” from the Israeli strikes but that a longer lasting solution was still needed. “The current situation is not sustainable,” he told a briefing, referring to the tens of thousands evacuated from their homes in northern Israel, a situation mirrored on the other side of the border in southern Lebanon. “Israel will do its duty and return its population to our sovereign territory.” Hopes that children might return for the start of the ...
Read more