WORLD

Davos, Switzerland | AFP | The World Economic Forum wrapped up on Friday, closing out a week of panels, parties and sub-zero temperatures with more serious talk dominated by climate change and gloom over slowing growth. Here are some of the top quotes on key issues over the past week. – …

Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | By declaring himself acting president, Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido sparked a leadership battle with the head of state, Nicolas Maduro. As the power struggle rages, here are details about both men’s most powerful allies: – Maduro – THE MILITARY: Maduro’s most significant domestic backing …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Friday brought a temporary end to the longest government shutdown in US history, while dropping his previous insistence on immediate funding for wall construction along the Mexican border. The announcement in the White House Rose Garden on the bipartisan deal …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis on Thursday warned against the “disinformation” and “targeted distortion of facts” to be found on the Internet and social networks’ “manipulation of personal data”. The Internet “is a source of knowledge and relationships that were once unthinkable,” the Argentine pope said in …

Davos, Switzerland | AFP | The annual business rendezvous in Davos is a hothouse of insider tech jargon, but this year’s buzzword of “digital transformation” could translate into profound and painful changes for companies and workers. Whether through robots, automation or artificial intelligence, the impact of the transformation is heaping …

Paris, France | AFP | Venezuelan oil output has plunged by more than half in 30 years but the country still sits on the world’s biggest crude reserves, so any political changes will ripple worldwide. The country holds 17.9 percent of proven oil reserves, ahead of Saudi Arabia at 15.7 percent, …

Washington, United States | AFP | Information warfare is amplifying major worldwide threats like climate change and nuclear warfare, endangering the future of civilization, US experts said Thursday as the symbolic Doomsday Clock stayed at two minutes to midnight. The manipulation of facts, fake news and information overload — along with …

Washington, United States | AFP | Artificial intelligence and automation will lead to job losses in “virtually all occupational groups” over the coming decades in the United States, but the overall impact on employment will be “muted,” a prominent think tank study said Thursday. “Almost no occupation will be unaffected by …

Panama City, Panama | AFP | Pope Francis told a global gathering of young Catholics on Thursday that meaningful service was key to attracting a new generation of faithful, rather than trying to make the Church more “fun” or “cool.” The 82-year-old pope received a rock-star welcome by tens of thousands …

  Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Paul Pogba has the qualities to be captain of Manchester United, according to caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has overseen a dramatic return to form for the World Cup winner. The France midfielder was told in September by then-manager Jose Mourinho that …