WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | Both the US and China spoke of progress Saturday after telephone talks between their leaders over a trade war that has rattled global markets. “Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China,” US President Donald Trump said on Twitter …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed opposition Democrats for the death of two immigrant children in US custody, comments set to heighten tensions as the second week of a government shutdown began over his demands for a border wall. “Any deaths of children …

Beijing, China | AFP | Chinese athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs will receive criminal punishments and jail terms from next year, as China cracks down on doping ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, state media reported. China’s sports administration and top judicial authority are drafting rules that would apply …

Colombo, Sri Lanka | AFP | Some 278 skeletons have been found at one of the biggest mass graves uncovered in Sri Lanka since the end of the country’s civil war almost a decade ago, a top investigator said Friday. Dozens of women and children as well as men were …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | British music retailer HMV, which was launched by English composer Edward Elgar in 1921, has collapsed into administration after weak Christmas sales and amid a declining market for CDs and DVDs, its owner said on Friday. His Master’s Voice (HMV), which is known worldwide …

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed what he said would be a “new era” in ties with “great power” Brazil ahead of meeting Friday with the Latin America’s country’s incoming far-right leader, Jair Bolsonaro. Netanyahu also stressed that he would press Bolsonaro on …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to “entirely” close the southern US border with Mexico if lawmakers refuse his demands to fund a wall. “We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Tighter measures to fight crime and terrorism in the European Union took effect on Friday as the 28-nation bloc seeks to improve security by sharing information more efficiently. New rules that strengthen the Schengen Information System (SIS) should help border guards and law enforcement agencies, …

Paris, France | AFP | The “yellow vest” anti-government protests that have rocked France will be held on Saturday and New Year’s Eve, and continue into 2019, several sources in the movement said Thursday. “The yellow vests are still mobilised,” said Laetitia Dewalle, one spokeswoman of the protest movement which …

Washington, United States | AFP | The US government partial shutdown was set to stretch deep into next week after legislators failed Thursday to make a breakthrough in the row over President Donald Trump’s demand for a US-Mexico border wall. After convening for just a few minutes following the official …