Kabul ‘concerned’ about US-Taliban deal
AFP, Kabul
The Afghan government expressed doubts Wednesday about a prospective deal between the US and the Taliban, saying officials need more information about the risks it poses.
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul this week, when he shared with Afghan officials an agreement “in principle” that Washington has forged with the Taliban and would lead to a pull-out of American troops.
2 Russians sentenced jail term over anti-govt protests
AFP, Moscow
Two Russians were sentenced Tuesday to two and three years in jail respectively in the first major convictions over anti-government demonstrations this summer.
The convictions came as investigators dropped “mass unrest” charges against five others, and days ahead of the controversial local elections that sparked the protests.
US imposes sanctions on Iran space agencies
Reuters, Washington
The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s civilian space agency and two research organizations on Tuesday, saying they were being used to advance Tehran’s ballistic missile programme.
The U.S. Treasury sanctions targeted the Iran Space Agency, Iran Space Research Center and the Astronautics Research Institute, according to a statement on its website.
Judge orders WH to reinstate reporter’s pass
AFP, Washington
The White House was ordered Tuesday by a federal judge to reverse its suspension of a reporter’s press credentials.
Playboy reporter Brian Karem’s White House pass was temporarily revoked after he argued with President Donald Trump’s former aide Sebastian Gorka at a July Rose Garden event.
Bolivia’s fires destroy ‘heritage’ rock art sites
AFP, La Paz,
Wildfires that have raged across forests and grassland in eastern Bolivia for weeks have destroyed rare rock art sites, archeologists announced Tuesday.
“We believe that the damage is big and wide in terms of our heritage of rock art,” said Danilo Drakic, chief archeologist in the eastern Santa Cruz department.
Santa Cruz is home to numerous rock art sites, including paintings and engravings spanning several millennia, experts say.
