WORLD

Des Moines, United States | AFP |  Americans kicked off the first vote of the 2020 presidential race Monday in Iowa, but delayed results in the state’s Democratic caucuses triggered hours-long waits and growing confusion on the ground. Iowa is a closely-watched test for the frontrunners, far-left Senator Bernie Sanders and …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | When South Korea’s Bong Joon-ho accepted the Golden Globe for best foreign language film for his widely hailed “Parasite,” he urged moviegoers to “overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles.” “You will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” he promised, reopening a debate …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The EU and Britain open hostilities in Brexit’s next bruising chapter on Monday, laying down red lines for a post-divorce future following the UK’s dramatic exit from the bloc. Europe’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier will formally announce his ideas for new ties in Brussels, with trade …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization said Monday it was working around the clock with internet and social media giants to combat widespread misinformation surrounding the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of the dangers posed by “the spread of rumours and misinformation”as China …

Paris, France | AFP |  Authoritarian governments in the Middle East are increasingly willing to seize researchers and academics, who are seen as valuable bargaining chips in their joustings with Western nations, analysts warn. “The risks now facing researchers in the Middle East are unprecedented,” said Jean-Pierre Filiu, a historian at …

Iowa City, United States | AFP |  Democratic candidates bolt Sunday across Iowa, where no handshake or pit stop is too insignificant one day ahead of the state’s presidential nominating process, which is the first in the nation. Iowa has traditionally served as a vital launching point — or burial ground …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP |  LeBron James vowed Friday that he and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates would continue the legacy of club icon Kobe Bryant, who died Sunday in a helicopter crash. James, his voice fraught with emotion, addressed the Staples Center crowd before the Lakers returned to …

Aboard the Cote des Dunes, English Channel, United Kingdom | AFP |  On a ferry from Calais to Dover, the moment of Britain’s dramatic exit from the European Union arrived without fuss. There were no celebrations among the passengers as the clock struck midnight on one of the last ferries to …

Clinton, United States | AFP | Four US senators running for president paused their impeachment trial duties Friday to dash to Iowa, joining top rivals for a final weekend of campaigning before the state’s all-important vote launches the Democratic Party’s nomination contest. After a Senate vote Friday paved the way for …

  London, United Kingdom | AFP | Even for a maverick politician like Boris Johnson, backing Brexit four years ago was a huge gamble. But it has paid off spectacularly with Britain’s exit Friday from the European Union. The Conservative leader remains a divisive figure, hailed by many for his …