Norway | AFP | Paying no attention to nearby divers, a killer whale and her calf hunting for food frolic in a snowy Norwegian fjord. Their favourite meal, herring, abounds, but climate change means both predator and prey must increasingly migrate further north. The clear and calm waters of Reisafjorden, in …
Read More »Russia says state and private ‘instructors’ are in Sudan
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Moscow on Monday said it had sent “instructors” to Sudan, where demonstrators have been protesting against President Omar al-Bashir for weeks, following reports of sightings of Russian-speaking soldiers in Khartoum. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not specify who the “instructors” were, but said they were in …
Read More »‘Radical rethink’ needed to tackle obesity, hunger, climate: report
Paris, France | AFP | To defeat the intertwined pandemics of obesity, hunger and climate change, governments must curb the political influence of major corporations, said a major report Monday calling for a ‘global treaty’ similar to one for tobacco control. But this will not happen unless ordinary citizens demand a …
Read More »What next for Brexit?
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Despite the humiliating rejection of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Britain is no closer to knowing the end result of its vote to leave the European Union. A raft of amendments to be voted on by MPs on Tuesday threaten to further muddy the …
Read More »IS in Syria confined to four square kilometres: commander
Sousa, Syria | AFP | The Islamic State group’s once-sprawling “caliphate” has been reduced to a four-square-kilometre pocket of territory in eastern Syria, a senior Kurdish commander said Monday. With support from a US-led military coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are in the final stages of an assault launched more than four months ago …
Read More »Dubai airport retains top global spot for 5th year
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Dubai International Airport said it retained its top global spot in 2018 after serving the largest number of passengers for the fifth year in a row despite falling short of its target. Traffic at the major transit hub rose slightly to 89.15 million passengers, …
Read More »Businesses struggle as cracks appear in China’s economy
Beijing, China | AFP | Cracks are opening in China’s mighty economy: investors are backing away from deals, factories are moving abroad and companies are shedding jobs. The world’s second-largest economy is losing steam, hitting its slowest growth in almost three decades last year, and flagging further in recent months. …
Read More »Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe: Where it stands
Washington, United States | AFP | Longtime Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone is the 34th person indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of the investigation of possible ties between the US president’s election campaign and Russia. The ongoing probe by the former FBI director has led to six …
Read More »From slowing growth to climate panic: hot topics at Davos 2019
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. – …
Read More »The forces behind Venezuela’s Maduro-Guaido power struggle
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 …
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