Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that “all options” remained under consideration after North Korea launched a missile over Japan. “Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region and among all nations of the world,” the White House …
Read More »Russia sends new submarines to Mediterranean
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia has sent two large newly-upgraded submarines to reinforce its naval presence in the Mediterranean, where it has a Syrian base, the defence ministry said Monday. “The Black Sea fleet’s new large diesel and electric submarines, Kolpino and Veliky Novgorod… have arrived in the Mediterranean,” the …
Read More »North Korea does it again, fires ballistic missile over Japan
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday in a major escalation that triggered global alarm and a furious response from the government in Tokyo. A visibly unsettled Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was an “unprecedented, serious and …
Read More »France gets First Dog: Macron adopts labrador mix Nemo
Paris, France | AFP | In keeping with time-honoured French presidential tradition, Emmanuel Macron has given the country a First Dog. The 39-year-old president and his wife Brigitte adopted a black labrador-griffon mix at the weekend, whom they have named Nemo after the captain in Jules Verne’s science fiction classic, Twenty …
Read More »India says military stand-off with China ends
New Delhi, India | AFP | India said Monday it had agreed with China to end a months-long military stand-off at a strategically important disputed area in the Himalayas and troops were disengaging. The foreign ministry said it had reached an “understanding” after talks with Beijing about the tense confrontation in …
Read More »UN chief seeks ‘dream’ of Israel-Palestinian peace in first visit
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP |UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres held talks with Israeli leaders Monday on his first visit since taking office, making a forceful argument for a two-state solution with the Palestinians and speaking of his “dream” for peace. Guterres also spoke of what he called obstacles to peace …
Read More »51 bankers, businessmen on trial in Vietnam for fraud
Hanoi, Vietnam | AFP | A former banking magnate and 50 others went on trial in Vietnam Monday over a multi-million dollar fraud at a major private bank, as the communist nation cracks down on corruption in the sector. Authorities have vowed to clean up an industry plagued by favouritism …
Read More »Sex crimes to sieges: India’s controversial ‘godmen’
New Delhi, India | AFP | India’s self-styled “godmen” have legions of devoted followers but many are dogged by scandal and several have been charged or convicted of crimes. The latest example is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh — known as the “guru in bling” — who was sentenced Monday to 10 …
Read More »Merkel ‘out of touch’, says challenger as vote nears
Berlin, Germany | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel is “aloof” and “out of touch”, her main challenger Martin Schulz said Sunday, stepping up his attacks as he seeks to turn around a flagging campaign ahead of next month’s general election. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader said Merkel …
Read More »Tillerson keeps distance from Trump’s race row stance
Washington, United States | AFP | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson defended American values on Sunday after a UN panel criticized the official response to racist violence — but conspicuously declined to speak for President Donald Trump. Trump triggered outrage earlier this month when he suggested both sides were at …
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