Egypt Today's world news brief

CAIRO – 10 June 2018: Egypt Today brings you the latest top of the hour news from around the world over the past 24 hours in this round-up.

Ethiopian premier arrives in Egypt to discuss relations

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali arrived on Saturday night on a two-day visit to Egypt where he will hold talks with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi on bilateral relations.

Presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said earlier in the day that talks between the two sides are expected to touch on boosting cooperation in various fields and other African issues of mutual concern.

This is the Ethiopian premier’s first visit to Egypt since assuming his post in April.

Both leaders are expected to discuss several files, on top of them, is the lengthy dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have started a new round of negotiations in May to settle the technical different opinions on GERD.


Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi meets Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Saturday - Press photo

N.Korea's Kim lands in Singapore, on cusp of making history with Trump summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un landed in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could end a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and transform the secretive, impoverished Asian country.


Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan welcomes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his arrival in Singapore, June 10, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUP

In battle of tweets, Canada's Trudeau dismisses Trump critique

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said nothing in his G7 news conference that he has not said before to U.S. President Donald Trump, his office said after Trump criticized Trudeau on Twitter as "weak and dishonest" in the wake of the Group of Seven summit.

"The prime minister said nothing he hasn’t said before — both in public, and in private conversations with the president," Trudeau's office said in a statement released on Twitter, which added Trudeau remained focused on what was accomplished at the two-day summit in Quebec.


U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit in in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada, June 8, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Putin says ready to meet Trump 'as soon as' Washington is ready

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said he was ready to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump as soon as Washington was ready, adding Vienna could be a possible venue for such a summit.

"As soon as the American side is ready this meeting would take place depending on my working schedule of course," Putin told reporters in the Chinese city of Qingdao, adding that the US president himself repeatedly said that he would consider such a meeting helpful. I can confirm this. It's true,".

He said he did not discuss a possible meeting venue with Trump but "many" countries including Austria were keen to help in organising such a summit.

"But I believe it's a technical issue," he said.

"It's important for such meetings -- if they take place -- to have concrete contents."


© AFP/File | Putin said "many" countries including Austria were keen to help in organising such a US-Russia summit

N.Korea leader Kim scheduled to leave Singapore at 2 p.m. on Tuesday

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is scheduled to depart Singapore at 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, a source who is involved in the planning of his visit to the city-state for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday.

Kim is scheduled to meet Trump at 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday to talk about ending his country's nuclear programme and transforming the isolated state which has been under harsh international sanctions for its defiant arms programme.


© KCNA VIA KNS, AFP | This picture taken on December 21, 2017 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang.

Trump arrives in Singapore ahead of unprecedented U.S.-N.Korea summit

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the future of Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal.

Trump's arrival came just hours after Kim, wearing his trademark dark "Mao suit" and distinctive high-cut hairstyle, landed in the ultra-modern city-state on his longest trip overseas as head of state.

The two are due to meet on Tuesday on the resort island of Sentosa for their high-stakes summit, the first-ever talks between a U.S. and North Korean leader and the culmination of a head-spinning diplomatic dance.


Republican U.S. Presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign event at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio August 1, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Thayer