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by Jalaa Marey with Mike Smith in Jerusalem KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel (AFP) — Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire along the Lebanese border after a week of rising tensions, sparking fears of an escalation and prompting concern from world powers. Israel said it responded with around 100 artillery shells Sunday after Hezbollah fired two or three anti-tank missiles at a battalion headquarters and military ambulance, hitting both. Israeli officials refuted claims by the Iranian-backed movement that […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters threw morning rush hour train travel into chaos on Monday, kicking off another day of potential turmoil after a weekend featuring some of the worst violence in three months of anti-government protests. The global financial hub is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis as a largely leaderless movement has drawn millions on to the streets to protest against what they see as an erosion of […]
by Elaine YU / Yan ZHAO Agence France Presse HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Chaos engulfed the heart of Hong Kong late Saturday, as police fired tear gas and water cannon at pro-democracy protesters who defied a ban on rallying, set fires, and hurled petrol bombs in some of the most intense clashes in months. Police had banned the demonstration on security grounds, and on Friday arrested several key activists and legislators in a […]
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea Saturday lashed out at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his comments on Pyongyang’s “rogue behaviour” and warned its expectations for nuclear talks with Washington are “gradually disappearing”. Pyongyang’s angry words come as working-level talks with Washington remain gridlocked, despite an agreement in June between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump to kickstart the process. Instead no progress has been made in […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Cathay Pacific has warned staff they risk being sacked if they join a planned Hong Kong strike, as the airline intensifies its crackdown on employee support for the rolling pro-democracy protests. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, which has 27,000 staff in the city, has been accused of bowing to political pressure from China, whose aviation regulator has banned airline staff who have supported the demonstrations from working on flights through its […]
by Aidan JONES / Jasmine Leung HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Prominent Hong Kong democracy activists were arrested Friday in a dragnet that came as protesters planned to rally this weekend in defiance of a police ban. Hong Kong has been locked in a three months of political crisis, with increasingly violent clashes between police and protesters that have prompted an escalating public relations campaign from Beijing. Protesters planned yet another mass rally on Saturday […]
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s prime minister on Thursday warned African leaders against accumulating too much debt, in an apparent reference to Chinese infrastructure projects that some blame for damaging the finances of developing nations. Addressing leaders from several African nations at a development conference in Yokohama, Shinzo Abe stressed that Tokyo was promoting “quality” infrastructure exports and investments, supported by Japan’s government-backed institutions. “What should the government do to encourage (entrepreneurs) to exercise their […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Two people were confirmed dead on Wednesday as heavy rains pounded southwest Japan, prompting flood and landslide warnings and orders for 870,000 people to seek safety. More than a million more people were advised to leave their homes after the country’s weather agency raised the alert to its highest level for parts of northern Kyushu. The emergency warning is issued “if there is a significant likelihood of catastrophes”. Officials confirmed two […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japanese authorities on Wednesday issued a rare evacuation order for 240,000 people in the country’s southwest over flood and landslide fears, as officials confirmed a man was killed in heavy rains. The evacuation orders came after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level alert for several parts of the northern Kyushu region. The alert is issued “if there is a significant likelihood of catastrophes” and is activated once a disaster […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China has said it will stage military exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan this week, with relations tense between Beijing and the self-ruled island. This will be the third set of drills in a month and comes after the recent US approvals of arms sales worth billions to Taiwan, including F-16 fighter jets. Ties between Beijing and Taipei have plummeted since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 […]
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — President Hassan Rouhani Tuesday told the United States to “take the first step” by lifting all sanctions against Iran, a day after US President Donald Trump said he was open to meeting. “The step is to retreat from sanctions. You must retreat from all illegal, unjust and wrong sanctions against the nation of Iran,” Rouhani said in a speech aired live on state television. He said “the key for positive change is in […]
by Aidan JONES / Yan ZHAO Agence France Presse HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong police on Monday said they were forced to fire water cannon and a warning shot to fend off “extremely violent” demonstrators, as months of pro-democracy protests veer deeper into violence. Sunday’s clashes in the suburb of Tsuen Wan were some of the worst in twelve weeks of political unrest tremoring through the city. As night fell, a group […]
