Kasmaal  Independent Somali news and analysis website .

A European Union official says the 28-nation bloc could put in place “blocking regulations” to ensure that its companies continue doing business with Iran if the United States pulls out of the multilateral 2015 nuclear deal. Denis Chaibi, head of the Iranian task force at the EU’s external action service, told the Euromoney Iran Conference 2018 […]

The Danish government on Tuesday formally proposed a ban on Islamic full-face veils such as the niqab and burqa in public spaces, making it likely to become the next European country to restrict the wearing of the religious garment. Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen. File photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix Denmark “It is incompatible with the values […]

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed yesterday to hold the next summit on Syria in Istanbul, Turkish presidential sources said. AA File Photo In a phone conversation, the two leaders discussed a number of issues, including the Syrian crisis and the situation in the Idlib and Afrin regions. They also […]

Despite criticism, Pyongyang has staged a massive military parade just one day before the opening of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Seoul earlier called the move “intimidating.” North Korea held the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of its armed forces, the Korean People’s Army (KPA). The parade came on the eve of […]

More than 100 fighters aligned with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were killed after US-led coalition and coalition-backed local forces thwarted a large, apparently coordinated attack late on Wednesday and early on Thursday, a US official said. US-allied SDF fighters and pro-government forces both hold parts of Deir al-Zour(Reuters) The heavy death toll underscored the large […]

Hundreds of North Korean female cheerleaders arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a trip that will mark their first appearance in 13 years at an international sports event hosted by the South.  North Korean cheerleaders arrive in South Korea on Wednesday. / Yonhap Cheers! / Yonhap Hundreds of North Korean female cheerleaders arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a trip that will mark their first appearance in 13 years at an international sports event hosted by the South. A total of 229 cheerleaders were among the 280-member delegation that came to the South via a western cross-border land route at 9:31 a.m. , according to a pool report. The delegation, led by Sports Minister Kim Il-guk, also includes three other officials from the National Olympic Committee, 26 taekwondo demonstrators and 21 journalists. With smiles on their faces, female cheerleaders who look to be in their 20s showed up at the inter-Korean border checkpoint in Paju, just south of the border, wearing red coats with a small North Korean flag on the left chest and black fur hats. When asked by pool reporters whether they came from Pyongyang, some gave a slight nod. North Korea reportedly picks members for cheering squads by thoroughly examining family background, appearance, skills and loyalty to the government. “You’ll see. It would not be fun if I say everything here, ” a cheerleader who seems to be the head of the cheering squad said when asked about what they’ve prepared. Later in the day, the delegation arrived by bus in Inje, an adjacent city of Gangneung, the sub-host city of the games. They unpacked at Inje Speediumth. A rare reconciliatory mood surrounding the Feb. 9-25 Games set in after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un extended a rare olive branch to Seoul in his New Year’s message following a year of tensions sparked by the North’s nuclear and missile provocations. The North has already sent a 46-member delegation that includes 22 athletes and a 140-member art troupe to the South. The high-level delegation led by North Korea’s nominal head of state , Kim Yong-nam, will make a three-day visit to the South from Friday. (Yonhap) Source:koreatimes.co.k

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said on Wednesday it carried out air strikes against “Syrian pro-regime forces” that carried out an unprovoked attack on Syrian Democratic Forces’ headquarters. In a statement, the coalition said its service members were located with the SDF. (Reuters) In a statement, the coalition said its service members were located […]

Mercedes-Benz has become the latest foreign company to run afoul of Beijing’s policies on Tibet and other Chinese-claimed regions, apologising for “hurting the feelings” of the people of China for quoting the Dalai Lama on Instagram. Photo: DPA The German auto giant joined several international companies that have backpedalled recently for offending Chinese consumers with […]