UNITED NATIONS
NK vote set for tomorrow
The US has formally requested a UN Security Council vote tomorrow on tough new sanctions against North Korea, despite resistance from China and Russia, as Pyongyang’s state media called for a nuclear arms buildup. Washington has presented a draft UN resolution calling for an oil embargo on North Korea, an assets freeze on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a ban on textile exports and an end to payments of North Korean guest workers. Diplomatic sources said Russia and China opposed the measures as a whole, except for the ban on textiles, during a meeting on Friday of experts from the 15 Security Council members.
UNITED STATES
US, Russian officials to meet
Senior US and Russian envoys are to meet soon in Finland in a bid to calm escalating diplomatic tensions that have sparked a return to Cold War-era animosity. US officials said US Department of State Undersecretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon is to meet with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov tomorrow and Tuesday. The officials said the pair would hold several rounds of talks on multiple issues in Helsinki. Topics would include strategic relations, arms control and resolving irritants in relations, they said.
UNITED STATES
Fox News fires Eric Bolling
US cable news network Fox News on Friday announced its decision to “part ways” with former host Eric Bolling, who was suspended amid allegations he had texted unsolicited lewd images to female co-workers. “Eric Bolling and Fox have agreed to part ways amicably,” a spokesperson said, adding that Fox was canceling the program he had hosted. Bolling was suspended last month pending an investigation into the accusations. Asked about the probe, the spokesperson said “outside counsel undertook a privileged review of the allegations.” The suspension followed a HuffPost report that Bolling sent an image of male genitalia to two colleagues at Fox Business and one at Fox News.
UNITED STATES
Obama surprises students
Former president Barack Obama on Friday shocked students at a Washington school by popping in to give them encouragement at the beginning of the new school year. “I do believe that most of the problems we have are going to be solved by you,” Obama told a group of students from McKinley Technology High School, according to an Instagram video posted on his account after his unannounced visit. In the video, a small group of students can be seen gasping in surprise as Obama walks into a room with a cheery “How’s it going, everybody?” Obama has made few public appearances since leaving the White House in January.
CANADA
Montreal to host climate talks
Canadian, Chinese and EU environment ministers are to co-host a meeting in Montreal later this month to move forward with the implementation of the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The ministerial meeting will include representatives from about 30 countries, Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna said. “This meeting brings together major economies and key climate actors to advance the implementation of the Paris Agreement and demonstrate continued commitment to global action on climate change,” she said in a statement. The meeting follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement in June that the US would abandon the global pact.
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