WORLD

Seoul, South Korea | AFP |  North Korea has executed a vice premier for showing disrespect during a meeting presided over by leader Kim Jong-Un, and banished two other officials for re-education, South Korea said Wednesday. Since taking power after his father’s death in late 2011, Kim is believed to …

Adjumani, Uganda | AFP | The international community must respond to the refugee crisis caused by fighting in South Sudan in the same way it responded to the crisis in Europe, the UN refugee chief said in Uganda on Monday. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, says 88,533 people have fled …

United Nations, United States | AFP | Portugal’s former prime minister Antonio Guterres is still the frontrunner to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations following a third straw poll held Monday, diplomats said. Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years, received 11 votes of encouragement, …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Part of the busy Los Angeles International Airport was closed late Sunday due to unconfirmed reports of gunfire, airport officials said on Twitter. “Upper/Departures & Lower/Arrivals levels of Central Terminal Area (CTA) closed. Pls check w/ airlines if heading to LAX,” airport authorities …

New York, United States | AFP | Beyonce on Sunday dominated the MTV Video Music Awards as she took home top prizes and awed the audience in a fiery dance medley with a subtle political touch. The pop superstar won Video of the Year for “Formation,” the most outspoken work …

Washington, United States | AFP |    Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump linked illegal immigration and employment Saturday, pledging to start deporting offenders as soon as he is sworn in should he become the White House’s next occupant. Trump all the while courted the black vote, claiming that the shooting …

Wellington, New Zealand | AFP |  Two people stranded for a week on a remote Pacific island have been rescued after a search aircraft spotted their SOS message in the sand, the US Coast Guard said Sunday. The couple, who had “limited supplies and no emergency equipment”, were found on …

Amatrice, Italy | AFP | The death toll from a powerful earthquake in central Italy rose to 250 on Thursday as rescuers continued a grim search for corpses and powerful aftershocks rocked the devastated area. The bulk of the confirmed deaths — 193 at the latest count — were in …

Kabul, Afghanistan | AFP |  At least nine people were killed after militants stormed the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, officials said Thursday, in a nearly 10-hour raid that prompted anguished pleas for help from trapped students. Explosions and gunfire rocked the campus after the attack began Wednesday evening, …

Montreal, Canada | AFP |  Canadian singer Celine Dion will release Friday her first album produced without direct input from her longtime manager and husband Rene Angelil, who died in January. Dion has sold more than 220 million albums worldwide since 1981 when Angelil discovered her powerful voice and helped …