London, United Kingdom | AFP | Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised a “new era of friendly cooperation” with the European Union on Friday as Britain prepared to leave the bloc after almost five decades. In a public address broadcast one hour before Brexit, Johnson acknowledged there may be “bumps …
Read More »Spain’s ‘Little Britain’ braces for Brexit
Orihuela, Spain | AFP | On the sun-drenched eastern coast of Spain, British retirees, workers and small business owners are braced for an uncertain future after Britain leaves the European Union on Friday. “It is worrying what happens now,” said Karen Watling, 73, who moved to the Orihuela Costa in Alicante …
Read More »Democrats warn of ‘lawless’ president in impeachment arguments
Washington, United States | AFP | Democrats warned Thursday that acquitting President Donald Trump of abuse-of-power charges in his impeachment trial would amount to the “normalization of lawlessness.” In what could be their last bid to make the case for removing the US leader from office, the House impeachment prosecutors expressed …
Read More »Steps on long, hard-fought road to the 2020 election
Washington, United States | AFP | Iowa votes on February 3 kicking off the crowded race for the Democratic nomination, which then gives way to a hotly contested battle against presidential incumbent Donald Trump. Here are the key steps along the way: – 2019: Debates – Six Democratic debates were …
Read More »CORONAVIRUS: WHO declares international emergency
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The UN health agency on Thursday declared an international emergency over the deadly coronavirus from China — a rarely used designation that could lead to improved international co-ordination in tackling the disease. “Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries …
Read More »Stranded in Wuhan: foreigners raise call for help in virus epicentre
Wuhan, China | AFP | Pregnant, newly wed and now trapped at the Chinese epicentre of a global health crisis, Thai national Aphinya is among thousands of foreigners desperate to escape — and watching helplessly as the US and Japan fly their citizens home. Hundreds were flown to safety this week …
Read More »Compliments and criticism: Trump and his ex-aides
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump ridiculed his former national security advisor John Bolton this week after Bolton threatened to become a prime witness against the US leader in the Senate impeachment trial. Trump was once a big fan of Bolton, but he now knows — like so …
Read More »Russia funds IVF baby boom to battle population slump
Balashikha, Russia | AFP | For three years, Valeriya Pashko has been trying to get pregnant. Now her last hope is IVF, provided free by Russia’s health service as authorities try to avert a new drop in the birthrate. “My husband and I are really relieved to be getting reimbursed. This …
Read More »Trump dashes to Iowa aiming to upend Democratic challengers
Des Moines, United States | AFP | Donald Trump takes his re-election campaign roadshow to Iowa Thursday, aiming to steal the limelight from Democrats whose race to challenge the US president in November’s election remains a dead heat days before the first nomination vote. As a dozen White House candidates make …
Read More »Now, White House bars Bolton book release over ‘top secret’ material
Washington, United States | AFP | The White House on Wednesday said that former national security advisor John Bolton cannot publish in its current form a book reportedly containing explosive evidence concerning President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. The National Security Council said after preliminary review of the manuscript — a …
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