Al-Asad Air Base , Iraq | AFP | President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq on Wednesday, his first trip to US troops deployed in a war zone since being elected two years ago. Trump landed at 7:16 pm local time at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, …
Read More »Early elections in Israel: What you need to know
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israel’s government decided this week to dissolve parliament and hold early elections on April 9, seven months before their November due date. Here are questions and answers on where things stand as polls show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to win despite corruption allegations …
Read More »China confirms death of ex-govt spokesman who denied Tiananmen deaths
Beijing, China | AFP | China has confirmed the death of former government spokesman Yuan Mu, who denied anyone was killed on Tiananmen Square during the bloody 1989 crackdown, nearly two weeks after his passing. A former Communist propaganda official, Yuan defended the Chinese government after soldiers of the People’s …
Read More »Ferrari to mark Schumacher’s 50th birthday with exhibition
Maranello, Italy | AFP | Formula One legend Michael Schumacher will be honoured by Ferrari with a special exhibition to mark his 50th birthday on January 3, the Italian team confirmed on Monday. Schumacher — a seven-time Formule One world champion — suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident …
Read More »‘Smart’ uniforms track Chinese students in truancy fight
Beijing, China | AFP | Schools in southern China are using chip-powered “smart” school uniforms to track their students in a bid to tackle truancy and boost attendance, according to state media. The uniforms use chips to monitor the location of students and can record their exit and entry into …
Read More »Putin hails ‘successful’ test of new hypersonic missile
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hailed final tests of a hypersonic missile, which he earlier said would render existing missile defence systems obsolete. “On my instructions, the Ministry of Defence prepared and conducted a final test of this system. This has just been completed …
Read More »Heavy screen time appears to impact childrens’ brains: study
Washington, United States | AFP | Researchers have found “different patterns” in brain scans among children who record heavy smart device and video game use, according to initial data from a major ongoing US study. The first wave of information from the $300 million National Institute of Health (NIH) study …
Read More »US to examine migrant children in custody after second death
Washington, United States | AFP | US Customs and Border Protection announced medical checks on all children in its custody following the death of an eight-year-old Guatemalan migrant — the second child fatality in American detention this month. Guatemala called for an investigation into the boy’s death and some US …
Read More »‘We’ve been forgotten’: Brazil’s Zika generation
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | When doctors told her that the six-month-old fetus she was carrying had severe brain damage caused by the Zika virus, Thamires Ferreira da Silva tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of a bus in Rio de Janeiro. “I just wanted to …
Read More »Man claims to survive on air, sunlight
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Khai Ho, 38-year-old from Birkenhead, in the UK, claims he can last up to three months at a time on only air, sunlight and the occasional mint leaves to keep his mouth smelling fresh. The pizza deliveryman is a self-described breatharian. He claims he has …
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