Politics

  Brussels / AFP The European Union and Cuba on Monday signed a deal to normalise ties that had been blocked for decades by human rights concerns under revolutionary icon Fidel Castro. Cuba was the only Latin American country not to have a “dialogue and cooperation” deal with the 28-nation EU covering issues such as trade, human rights and migration. But …

  Rome / AFP New Italian premier-designate Paolo Gentiloni raced to put together a cabinet team on Monday as the market welcomed the apparent rapid resolution of the country’s political and banking crises. Gentiloni, 62, was asked by President Sergio Mattarella on Sunday to form a new centre-left government that will guide Italy to elections due by February 2018, following the …

  Belgrade / AFP Eight Serbian men appeared on Monday before a Belgrade court over their alleged role in the Srebrenica massacre, Europe’s worst atrocity since World War II, in the first-ever such case to be handled by the country’s judiciary. The suspects’ defence attorneys cited procedural issues, demanding notably the replacement of judges, and opening of the trial was …

  Washington / AFP Republicans rejected reports of a secret CIA assessment finding that Russia sought to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump’s favor, as a Democratic Senate leader called for an investigation. “The intelligence is wrong,” Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN. “It didn’t happen.” He was referring to a New York Times report saying …

  Tokyo / AFP Russia has turned down Tokyo’s latest attempt at dog diplomacy ahead of a summit between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later this month, an aide said, as the two leaders look to end a decades-old territorial row. Japan had planned to give the Russian president—who is known for being a canine lover—a male Akita …

  Rome / AFP Italian President Sergio Mattarella summoned Paolo Gentiloni to see him on Sunday in what was seen as a signal the current foreign minister will become the country’s new prime minister. Gentiloni is the favourite to replace outgoing premier Matteo Renzi, who resigned last week after suffering a crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform. “The President …

  Seoul / AFP South Korea warned Sunday of “fatal” consequences for Pyongyang’s leadership if provoked into conflict, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un oversaw a military drill simulating an attack on Seoul’s presidential Blue House. Kim watched with binoculars as North Korea’s special operation forces conducted an exercise aimed at “destroying specified targets of the enemy”, including the Blue House, …

  Banjul / AFP Gambia’s incumbent head of state Yahya Jammeh will contest in court the election victory handed to opposition candidate Adama Barrow, his party has said. In a shock rejection of his defeat at the polls, Jammeh cited in a speech broadcast late Friday “unacceptable errors” by election authorities. He was referring to a readjustment of the votes …

  Skopje / AFP Macedonians were voting on Sunday in an early general election in a bid to end a deep political crisis that has roiled the small Balkan country for nearly two years. The vote was called as part of a European Union-brokered deal between Macedonia’s four main political parties after a mass surveillance scandal erupted in February 2015 and …

  Aleppo / AFP Syria’s army pushed forward in Aleppo on Sunday as thousands fled rebel-held areas but its forces lost ground to the south where the IS group recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra. After a sudden withdrawal by regime forces, IS extremists made a lightning-fast advance across Palmyra, sparking new worries for its remaining ancient treasures. Forces loyal to …