WORLD

Beijing, China | AFP | In China, where children are often saddled with a packed schedule of extracurricular activities before they even enter grade school, some parents are making room for a surprising pursuit: hip-hop dance classes. Inside a dance studio in central Beijing, a group of kids bopped up …

Yangon, Myanmar | AFP | The UN has called for calm after several Rohingya Muslims were shot and wounded in a Rakhine state camp, in a raid linked to the failed escape of more than 100 of the stateless minority from the grim settlements. Some 120,000 Rohingya have languished in …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump is planning to make several key staffing changes as he prepares to deal with newly empowered Democrats and with the looming outcome of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. “I have three or four or five positions that …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | European governments get their own say on Brexit this week as they debate future ties with London in the run-up to Sunday’s summit to sign Britain’s divorce papers. Ministers from the other 27 EU member states are in Brussels on Monday at the start of …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday urged a Franco-German push to make Europe a stronger and more confident global player that could prevent “chaos” on the world stage. Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have used a series of war anniversaries to project unity as …

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced calls for snap elections as “irresponsible” in an impassioned televised address on Sunday and vowed to push on despite a coalition crisis threatening to bring down his government. As the nation looked on for word on whether Israel was …

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday welcomed a US decision to vote for the first time against an annual UN resolution condemning Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights. “I would like to thank President (Donald) Trump and Ambassador (Nikki) Haley on this important and just …

Paris, France | AFP | More than 400 people were hurt, 14 seriously, in a day and night of “yellow vest” protests over rising fuel price hikes around France that claimed one life, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Sunday. The injury toll, more than double the last tally provided …

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | AFP | Protectionist actions are short-sighted and doomed to fail, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday ahead of an APEC summit at which US-China trade tensions are likely to take centre stage. “Attempts to erect barriers and cut close economic ties work against the …

Washington, United States | AFP | The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US media reported Friday, citing people close to the matter. The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor …