Norway’s coalition govt announces enlarged Cabinet
AP, Copenhagen
Norway’s center-right government has announced an enlarged Cabinet after the Christian Democrats joined the ruling coalition.
After months of talks, the Christian Democrats decided to join the government last week and form the country’s first non-socialist majority coalition since 1985 after internal fights and the departure of its leader, who wanted to support the center-left Labor opposition.
10 dead as fire rages on Black Sea ships
Reuters, Moscow
Ten crew died and another 10 were missing presumed dead in a fire that broke out on two ships while they were transferring fuel in the Black Sea, Russia’s Transport Ministry said on Tuesday.
The vessels which caught fire on Monday have the same names as two Tanzania-flagged ships, the Maestro and Venice, which last year were included on a U.S. sanctions advisory as delivering fuel to Syria.
UN envoy in Yemen for talks
AFP, Sanaa
The UN envoy for Yemen landed in rebel-held Sanaa Monday for talks aimed at shoring up a truce between rebels and a government alliance in the port city of Hodeida.
Diplomat Martin Griffiths landed in the capital at around 10:30 am local time (1330 GMT), an official at Sanaa airport told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Pompeo talks N.Korea with Tokyo and Seoul
AFP, Washington
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks on North Korea with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts ahead of a summit between Pyongyang’s leader and the US president, the State Department said Monday.
The phone calls, which took place on January 20, come after President Donald Trump announced that a location for his summit with Kim Jong Un – which is to take place near the end of February – has been decided.
Two killed as plane crashes in Ohio
Reuters, Ohio
Two pilots were killed and four passengers injured when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday in northeastern Ohio, clipping power lines and almost crashing into homes in snow-covered Apple Creek, U.S. media reported, citing officials. Unspecified engine issues likely caused the crash, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported, citing the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Strong quake hits off Indonesia
AFP, Jakarta
A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the Indonesian coast early Tuesday, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage.
The quake hit at a depth of 31 kilometres (19 miles) off Sumba island, some 150 kilometres west southwest of the city of Waingapu, according to the United States Geological Survey.
