Briefly

UNITED STATES

Waivers extended on Iran nuclear sanctions

The Donald Trump administration on Monday renewed several waivers on US sanctions against Iran, allowing Russian, European and Chinese companies to continue to work on Iran's civilian nuclear facilities without drawing penalties from the United States. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed off on the waiver extensions but couched the decision as one that continues restrictions on Iran's atomic work. "Iran's continued expansion of nuclear activities is unacceptable. The regime's nuclear extortion is among the greatest threats to international peace and security," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

SAUDI ARABIA

G20 finance chiefs add to virus response

Finance ministers and central bankers of the Group of 20 major economies were scheduled to hold a second round of virtual talks on Tuesday to push ahead in their response to the coronavirus, the Saudi hosts said. G20 leaders last week pledged a "united front" in the fight against the pandemic, saying they were injecting $5 trillion into the global economy to head off forecasts of a deep recession. Saudi Arabia, which holds the group's rotating presidency, said the ministers and bank governors were convening for the second time to "advance a coordinated global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications".

THE NETHERLANDS

Van Gogh painting stolen from museum

A painting by Dutch master Vincent van Gogh was stolen in an overnight smash-and-grab raid on a museum that was closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, police and the museum said on Monday. The Singer Laren museum east of Amsterdam said The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring 1884 by the Dutch master was taken in the early hours of Monday. The value of the work was not immediately known.

Agencies - Xinhua