NEWS INTERNATIONAL
26 April 2023   (Al Jazeera)
A suggestion last October that the European Union could sell seized Russian assets to help to rebuild Ukraine has prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to take what he says is temporary control of the Russian subsidiaries of German and Finnish energy companies. Putin’s decree today suggested that the EU notion is “unfriendly and contrary to international law.”
26 April 2023   (Reuters)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen worries that if Congress fails to raise the government’s $31.4-trillion debt ceiling, the resulting default could trigger “economic and financial catastrophe.” She says Congress has a “basic responsibility” to increase or suspend the cap unconditionally and “not wait until the last minute.”
26 April 2023   (CNN)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had had “a long and meaningful phone call” today with his Chinese countertpart, Xi Jinping, their first since Russia invaded Ukraine. China is trying to position itself as a potential peacemaker but Zelenskyy has reiterated that “there can be no peace at the expense of territorial compromises.” China’s foreign ministry said Xi told Zelenskyy that “mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is the political basis of China-Ukrainian relations.”
26 April 2023   (Al Jazeera)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said today that his government will not quit the International Criminal Court as he had suggested April 25. It blamed “an error in a comment made during a briefing.” The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin who is scheduled to attend a South African summit with Brazilian, Chinese and Indian leaders.
25 April 2023   (CTV)
U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to seek a second term was welcomed today by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “This is a leader that is needed, not just by the United States, but by the world,” the PM said. “I'm looking forward to continuing to work with him for many years,” said Trudeau.
25 April 2023   (Al Jazeera)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his government has decided to quit the International Criminal Court after it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. That meant that South Africa, which has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, would have had to detain him when he meets Ramaphosa and their Brazilian, Chinese and Indian counterparts for an upcoming summit.
24 April 2023   (CP)
Fifty-eight Canadians and one German were evacuated from Sudan today on a German aircraft and an RCAF CC-117 Globemaster III was on standby in the region to help evacuate more as a military conflict continued to escalate. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly had said earlier in the day that there were talks with “like-minded countries” to help others.
24 April 2023   (BBC)
A claim by China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, that Ukraine and other former Soviet satellite republics are internationally illegitimate was disavowed today by the Chinese foreign ministry. Responding to widespread outrage, the ministry said it respected the independence of all post-Soviet republics.
23 April 2023   (CTV)
Global Affairs Canada has announced that it will be evacuating its personnel from Khartoum as opposing Sudanese factions intensify their fighting. “The situation in Sudan has rapidly deteriorated making it impossible to safeguard the safety and security of our staff,” GAC said in a statement today, adding that evacuated staff would be relocated to a “safe location” outside Sudan.
23 April 2023   (AP)
President Joe Biden said late April 22 that U.S. military deployed from Djibouti have evacuated U.S. embassy personnel from Khartoum. They were airlifted to an undisclosed location in neighbouring Ethiopia.

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