WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he intends to visit China, Japan and South Korea later this year, a blockbuster maiden presidential visit to Asia. Trump said aboard Air Force One that a US delegation would likely make the trip in November, adding that …

Ankara, Turkey | AFP | Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday held talks in Turkey with the emirate’s chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. Erdogan hosted the emir for the talks at his …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Seasoned London commuters are complaining of being robbed of their “expertise” after new green platform markings appeared in a busy tube station showing the best position to quickly enter carriages. “Twenty years of personal tube platform expertise and competitive commuting advantage rendered useless by some …

Séoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Friday, responding to new UN sanctions with what appeared to be its furthest-ever missile flight amid high tensions over its weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security …

Brasília, Brazil | AFP |  Brazil’s chief prosecutor on Thursday charged President Michel Temer with obstruction of justice and leading a criminal group. Temer was accused along with six heavyweight political allies, a statement from Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot’s office said. However, the president is widely thought to have enough …

Taipei, Taiwan | AFP | A few extra-keen cities in developed countries are using internet technology to cut energy bills, fight crime and ease traffic congestion. Now everyone else wants to know how they got so far. New York, Singapore, Taipei, Barcelona and London are regarded now as what techies call …

Tokyo, Japan | AFP | German carmaker Volkswagen is aiming to sell 1.5 million electric cars in China by 2025, its boss was quoted as saying Thursday, seeking to capitalise as Beijing mulls a clampdown on polluting vehicles. Speaking on the sidelines of the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Chief Executive …

Washington, United States | AFP | Top US congressional Democrats emerged from a meeting with President Donald Trump Wednesday claiming progress on a deal that protects young immigrants and boosts border security, while not including a border wall. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said …

Ahmedabad, India | AFP | India’s first bullet train project, a $19-billion initiative linking Ahmedabad to Mumbai, was launched Thursday as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe hailed fast-growing ties between Asia’s two biggest democracies. The project is seen as emblematic of warming relations between New Delhi …

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | Twenty-four people, mostly children, were killed Thursday when a blaze tore through a Malaysian religious school, trapped in their dormitory by metal grilles on the windows. Pupils and teachers inside the Islamic study centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur screamed for help as helpless neighbours looked …