WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | The crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge Donald Trump in 2020 — already shaping up to be one of the largest and diverse ever — has added one more potential candidate — Senator Cory Booker, an African-American steeped in issues facing urban America. Booker …

Washington, United States | AFP | In a move that could harden Washington’s posture toward Beijing for years, the US intelligence community has characterized relations with China as a global ideological showdown that will not be doused by trade deals or commercial theft crackdowns. US spy chiefs abruptly shifted their view …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Premier League clubs were reluctant to plunge into the inflated January marketplace this season — in stark contrast to last year, when they splashed out a record £430 million on transfer fees. Just £180 million ($235 million) was spent last month, according to finance experts …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Friday she would close her Facebook account, taking another step in a long farewell from politics in her final term in office. In a short video, Merkel thanked her more than 2.5 million followers on the social media site and asked …

Paris, France | AFP | Nuclear waste is piling up around the world even as countries struggle to dispose of spent fuel that will remain highly toxic for many thousands of years, Greenpeace detailed in a report Wednesday. An analysis of waste storage facilities in seven countries with nuclear power revealed …

Tampa, United States | AFP | An Arctic-like deep freeze gripping much of the United States with double-digit subzero temperatures is the coldest of its kind in two decades, but is it linked to climate change? Experts say it could be, but whether global warming plays a role in this …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | An “industrial renaissance” in countries like Australia, Britain and the United States can help tame the political forces dividing Western societies, Indo-British tycoon Sanjeev Gupta told AFP in an interview. “There will be a renaissance of industry in these countries,” said the 47-year-old metal industry …

New Delhi, India | AFP | Delhi is the world’s most polluted major city, its toxic cocktail of vehicle fumes, dust and smoke choking the chaotic metropolis and taking years off its 20 million inhabitants’ lives. But despite this, with levels of airborne pollutants routinely eclipsing safe limits in winter months, …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | When Francis becomes the first pope to visit the Arabian peninsula on Sunday, he takes another important step in his efforts to build bridges with Islam and confirms interreligious dialogue as a keystone of his papacy. In the long, complicated and often bloody …

New York, United States | AFP | The #MeToo movement has shaken a number of industries including Hollywood in recent years, but the world of popular music has mostly shied from embracing the crusade. In a business long associated with seedy behavior, few artists have faced rejection for actions or allegations, …