WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | The White House blasted the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump as “completely baseless” Friday, signalling it would not seek to defend the president in Democratic-led hearings to draw up formal charges against him. But Republicans demanded that Joe Biden’s son Hunter, the lawmaker leading the …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump lashed out at the World Bank on Friday, blaming the international financial institution for lending money to China. “Why is the World Bank loaning money to China? Can this be possible? China has plenty of money, and if they don’t, they …

Beijing, China | AFP | China will free up as much land as possible to restore pork production to pre-swine fever levels — including areas designated pig-free zones for environmental reasons, the agriculture ministry said Friday. Authorities outlined a three-year plan to boost its pig-breeding facilities in a bid to restore …

Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Saudi oil giant Aramco has raised $25.6 billion in the world’s biggest initial public offering, sources told AFP. The oil-rich kingdom has put a value of $1.7 trillion on Aramco as it prepares to sell 1.5 percent of the company to fund its “Vision …

Shenzhen, China | AFP | Chinese telecoms giant Huawei said on Thursday it has petitioned a US court to overturn a ban that prevents carriers in rural America from buying the firm’s equipment by tapping an $8.5-billion federal fund. Huawei’s petition said the ban — imposed last month against the company …

Washington, United States | AFP | Top US Democrat Nancy Pelosi gave the green light to draft articles of impeachment against Donald Trump on Thursday, saying the president’s abuse of power “leaves us no choice but to act.” By asking the House Judiciary Committee chairman to draw up the charges, Speaker …

Washington, United States | AFP | More than 140,000 people died from measles worldwide in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) and US authorities said Thursday, the result of global vaccination rates that have stagnated for almost a decade. Poorer countries were hardest hit, with the vast majority of measles cases …

Washington, United States | AFP |  US First Lady Melania Trump on Wednesday publicly rebuked a scholar who used her 13-year-old son’s name to make a point during a hearing as part of the impeachment inquiry into the president. Constitutional law professor Pamela Karlan invoked Barron Trump, the son of Donald …

Washington, United States | AFP | Three constitutional scholars on Wednesday bolstered Democrats’ case for impeaching Donald Trump by saying the president’s actions seeking foreign interference in US elections were clear grounds for removal, as the inquiry kicked into high gear in Congress. But reflecting the Washington political divide, a fourth …

Washington, United States | AFP |  US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday urged countries like France to suspend taxes on global computing giants and wait for a negotiated agreement on international taxation. As the United States is poised to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on $2.4 billion …