Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korean President Moon Jae-in sounded a note of caution Wednesday over the North’s offer of denuclearisation talks, saying it was “too early to be optimistic”, even as US leader Donald Trump welcomed the development. President Trump welcomed Pyongyang’s breakthrough declaration — as relayed …
Read More »Tillerson heads to Africa, with China in his sights
Washington, United States | AFP | Washington’s top diplomat set off for Africa on Tuesday to tour countries that form a new theater for competition with America’s ambitious great power rival China. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s trip to Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Chad and Nigeria will take him to new …
Read More »Under scrutiny at home, Netanyahu cheered at US pro-Israel lobby
Washington, United States | AFP | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put aside his domestic legal woes on Tuesday to find a warm welcome in Washington at a meeting of the pro-Israeli lobby. On the home front the veteran Israeli right-winger faces an intensifying corruption probe that could see the 68-year-old forced …
Read More »Trump vows Mexico, Canada steel tariffs without ‘fair’ NAFTA deal
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump vowed Monday not to exempt Mexico and Canada from new steel tariffs without a “fair” trade deal, but his chief negotiator warned the trio’s talks were not living up to expectations. Speaking as US, Mexican and Canadian trade officials gathered …
Read More »Niger attack video released by IS shows group’s ‘depravity’: Pentagon
Washington, United States | AFP | A graphic video apparently captured by the helmet camera of one of the US soldiers killed in an Islamic State ambush in Niger highlights the jihadists’ depravity, the Pentagon said Monday after IS released the footage. The Defense Department “is aware of alleged photos …
Read More »Oscar winners in main categories
Hollywood, United States | AFP | Here are the winners in key categories for the 90th Academy Awards, which were handed out on Sunday in Hollywood. “The Shape of Water” was the big winner of the night with four statuettes, including best picture and best director. Best picture: “The Shape of …
Read More »NBA star Kobe Bryant wins Oscar for best animated short
Hollywood, United States | AFP | Retired basketball superstar Kobe Bryant — once the toast of Los Angeles for the Lakers — is now a Hollywood A-lister with an Oscar. Yes, you read that correctly. Nearly two years after leaving the NBA, the 39-year-old Bryant won the Academy Award for best …
Read More »‘Black Panther’ continues stunning romp in movie theaters
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | “Black Panther” continued its record-setting romp this weekend, passing the half-billion-dollar mark in only its third week out in North America as it stayed on track to be one of the highest-grossing films ever, industry analysts said. The Disney/Marvel collaboration, starring Chadwick Boseman …
Read More »Trump signals controversial tariffs will go forward
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Sunday signaled his intent to move forward with controversial tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that have sparked fears of a trade war. “We are on the losing side of almost all trade deals. Our friends and enemies have …
Read More »S. Korea’s Moon to send special envoys to North on Monday
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korean President Moon Jae-in will send a team of special envoys — including Seoul’s spy chief — to the North on Monday to push for talks between Washington and Pyongyang on nuclear weapons. The delegation, announced by Moon’s office on Sunday, is the …
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