AFP, Cairo
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed with President Vladimir Putin to bolster coordination to secure Russian flights and resume them as soon as possible, after Moscow halted them Friday, his office said.
Sisi called Putin and they agreed “to bolster cooperation between the two countries’ relevant agencies to ensure the safety of Russian tourists and strengthen security measures for Russian planes,” a statement said.
Greenpeace banned in India
AP, New Delhi
Greenpeace said on Friday its registration to operate in India has been cancelled under orders from the country’s home ministry.
The environmental group said in a statement that it would challenge the decision in court. India began cracking down on foreign-funded charities last year after a government intelligence bureau report said economic growth was hurt when the groups rallied communities against polluting industries.
In April the government suspended Greenpeace India’s registration for six months, saying it was underreporting foreign contributions and using them without government clearance.
Singapore, China strengthen
diplomatic ties
AP, Singapore
Singapore welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday with a state banquet featuring local favorites, as the two countries pledged to strengthen economic links and cooperation in regional and international affairs. It is Xi’s first state visit to Singapore since taking the presidency in 2013, and marks 25 years of strong bilateral ties.
Despite Singapore’s small size – it has a population of 5.5 million, a fraction of China’s 1.4 billion – it is a strong investor in China, and its first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, often played the role of interlocutor between China and the West. Lee died in March.
US wants China to be part of Asian security system
PTI, Washington
Making it clear that the US was not trying to create divisions in Asia, Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has said America wants China to be part of the Asian security system and not stand apart from it.
Speaking to reporters aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt in South China Sea, Carter refuted reports that the United States is trying to create divisions in Asia.
Putin’s associate found dead in
US hotel
AFP, Washington
A wealthy Russian close to President Vladimir Putin has been found dead in a Washington hotel, ABC News reported.
Mikhail Lesin, the Russian government’s former head of media affairs, was found in the Dupont Circle Hotel on Thursday, the TV network said, quoting a Russian and a US official.
Washington police would not confirm the death of Lesin, saying only that they were investigating the death of someone on the block where the hotel is located in a fashionable area of Washington.
