Trump says Taliban could ‘possibly’ seize power after US leaves
AFP, Washington
President Donald Trump on Friday said the Taliban could “possibly” overrun the Afghan government after the United States withdraws from the country, leaving the US-backed authorities to fend for themselves. “Countries have to take care of themselves,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “You can only hold someone’s hand for so long.”
UN chief and top US diplomat meet on global hot spots
AP, United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed global hot spots Friday, while America’s top diplomat again expressed “outrage” at the U.N.’s publication of companies it says are operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in violation of Palestinian human rights.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric made no mention of the U.N. human rights office’s list of more than 100 companies released Feb. 12. But State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Pompeo made clear the U.S. “will continue to engage U.N. officials and member states on this matter, will not tolerate the reckless mistreatment of U.S. companies, and will respond to actions harmful to our business community.”
China says reports it fired laser at US plane last month untrue
Reuters, Beijing
China said media reports it had fired a laser at a United States surveillance aircraft last month “did not accord with the facts”, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence. The U.S. Pacific Fleet said in late February that a Chinese warship had fired a laser at a U.S. naval patrol aircraft flying in airspace above international waters west of Guam.
Singapore jails Indonesian maid for funding ISIS-linked group
AFP, Singapore
An Indonesian maid was jailed for two years in Singapore on Thursday for giving money to an ISIS-linked terror outfit blamed for a string of attacks in her home country.
The affluent city-state is home to over 250,000 maids from neighbouring Indonesia, and has seen a string of cases where foreign domestic helpers have allegedly been radicalised.
