Manila, Philippines | AFP | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s fiery rhetoric and deadly crime war are becoming a growing concern around the world, the top US envoy for Asia warned on Monday in Manila. US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel met the Philippines’ …
Read More »Drake plans new release and takes shot at rival
New York, United States | AFP | Drake, the rapper who has dominated the charts with his latest album, celebrated his 30th birthday Monday by announcing a new release that includes a song dissing a critic. The Toronto rapper said he would release “More Life” in December and described it …
Read More »Smartwatch sales tumble, dragged down by Apple
Washington, United States | AFP | Global smartwatch sales slid 51.6 percent in the third quarter, amid a steep decline for the Apple Watch ahead of its updated device, a market tracker said Monday. The IDC survey said total smartwatch volumes were 2.7 million units, less than half the level …
Read More »Reebok starts making shoes in US again
New York, United States | AFP | Sports equipment manufacturer Reebok is bringing some of its shoemaking back to the United States, unveiling plans to open a new manufacturing lab next year using innovative liquid material and 3D drawing. Some parts of the 300 pairs of shoes planned will come …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Deal turns telecom giant AT&T into new media-entertainment powerhouse
New York, United States | AFP | AT&T on Saturday unveiled a mega-deal for Time Warner that would transform the telecom giant into a media-entertainment powerhouse positioned for a sector facing major technology changes. The stock-and-cash deal is valued at $108.7 billion including debt, and gives a value of $84.5 …
Read More »Silicon Valley: Trump would be a disaster for innovation
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Silicon Valley, the hub of the US tech industry, is traditionally a Democratic political stronghold. But that has perhaps never more been more true than in this election year, with a presidential contest featuring a Republican nominee seen here as more interested in …
Read More »US expects record Latino vote, but will it be decisive?
New York, United States | AFP | Record numbers of Latinos have registered to vote this year, giving them unprecedented power to influence the US presidential election on November 8. But will they actually vote? Pundits have long described the Latino vote as a “sleeping giant” because turnout in the …
Read More »AT&T agrees to buy Time Warner in over $80 bn deal
New York, United States | AFP | Telecom giant AT&T has struck a deal to buy entertainment company Time Warner for more than $80 billion, to add in-house content to its distribution services, a banking source familiar with the negotiations said Saturday. An official announcement is expected before Monday’s trading …
Read More »China slams ‘provocative’ US sail-by in South China Sea
Beijing, China | AFP | China has slammed the US for sailing a warship near disputed territory in the South China Sea, saying the move was a “serious illegal act” and “deliberately provocative”. In a statement on its website late Friday night, the country’s defence ministry said two Chinese naval …
Read More »ENTERTAINMENT: Brad Pitt hasn’t answered divorce petition
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Brad Pitt has missed the deadline to respond to Angelina Jolie’s divorce petition, seeking to avoid sparking an acrimonious legal battle that could harm the children, media reported on Friday. The 52-year-old actor will not file an official reply, despite being two days …
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