International

Death toll in Europe from storm hits nine

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — The death toll from storms that have battered Spain, Portugal, and France rose to nine on Sunday as the region braced for more violent winds and heavy rain. Storms Elsa and Fabien have flooded rivers, brought down power lines, uprooted trees and disrupted rail and air travel across the region, leaving more than 118,000 households without electricity. Two people have so far died in Portugal and seven have now been killed […]

Under pressure Australia PM visits beleaguered firefighters

  by Andrew Beatty  SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited firefighters battling Australia’s bushfire crisis on Sunday as he apologized for a Hawaiian holiday that ended early after public outrage. Morrison toured the headquarters of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service — whose exhausted volunteers have been struggling to contain deadly, out-of-control-blazes for months on end — where he admitted he had erred in travelling overseas. Morrison had departed for a […]

Thousands protest in Iraq as deadline for new PM looms

  DIWANIYAH, Iraq (AFP) — Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public buildings in southern Iraq Sunday, as the latest deadline for choosing a new prime minister loomed. Anti-government rallies have rocked Baghdad and the Shiite-majority south since October 1, with demonstrators calling for a complete overhaul of a regime they deem corrupt and inefficient. “The revolution continues!” shouted one demonstrator at a protest encampment in central Diwaniyah. Protesters blocked off public buildings one by […]

US Pres. Trump announces creation of US Space Force for future space wars

  US President Donald Trump announced the creation of the sixth branch of the national armed forces, which is the US Space Force. Trump announced the establishment of the Space Force military branch as he signed a National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA). The announcement was made before the signing ceremony at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on Friday. “Today also marks another landmark achievement as we officially inaugurate the newest branch of our military. […]

Fresh clashes over India law, death toll hits 14

  NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Fresh deadly clashes between Indian police and demonstrators erupted on Friday after more than a week of unrest triggered by a citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim, as thousands rallied at the nation’s biggest mosque. Three protesters were shot dead on Thursday and police said another was killed in clashes in Uttar Pradesh state Friday. Four new protesters have died in fresh clashes with police in northern India, a medical […]

Afghanistan and Pakistan jolted by strong 6.1 quake: USGS

  KABUL, Afghanistan (AFP) — A strong earthquake rattled Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday afternoon, the US Geological Survey said, forcing residents into the streets in Kabul and Islamabad. The 6.1-magnitude quake hit around 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Jurm in northern Afghanistan and was over 200 kilometres deep, the USGS said. In both capital cities, residents felt two short tremors in quick succession, however there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake […]

State of emergency as bushfires rage in Australia

  by Daniel DE CARTERET Agence France Presse BUXTON, Australia (AFP) — A state of emergency was declared in Australia’s most populated region on Thursday as an unprecedented heatwave fanned out-of-control bushfires, destroying homes and smothering huge areas with a toxic smoke. As thousands of firefighters battled blazes, temperatures neared 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places and authorities warned the extreme weather conditions could get even worse. Australia endures bushfires every year […]

Indian lawmaker gets life for raping teen in landmark case

  NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — An Indian lawmaker was sentenced to life Friday for raping a teenager whose plight police ignored until she tried to set herself on fire, in a case highlighting the impunity often enjoyed by the powerful. The day after she did so last year her father died in police custody, with the family alleging he was tortured for pursuing the case. Later she was critically injured in a suspicious car […]

Trump seeks rapid exoneration in Senate after impeachment

  by Paul HANDLEY Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump pressed his Republican allies Thursday to exert rigid control of his Senate trial and ensure a swift exoneration, a day after he was impeached in a historic rebuke by the House of Representatives. A bitter fight looms over the coming trial, expected to begin as early as the second week of January, with Senate leaders already drawing battle lines […]

Canada to ban vaping ads aimed at youth

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Concerned by a sudden rise in youth vaping, Canada’s health minister on Thursday announced a ban on advertising for vaping products targeting young people. Marketing of the products would be allowed only in specialty shops, businesses and websites accessible by adults, and banned elsewhere, including convenience stores and billboards. Ottawa also proposed mandatory health warnings on vaping product packaging, which would have to be made childproof, and limiting their nicotine content. […]

Massive debt wave could crash on developing countries, World Bank warns

  by Heather SCOTT Agence France Presse A wave of debt in emerging and developing nations has grown faster and larger than in any period of the last five decades and could end with another crisis, the World Bank warned Thursday. And if the wave breaks, it could be more damaging since it would engulf private companies in addition to governments, at a time when economic growth is sluggish, according to a new report that […]

Ukraine says Trump impeachment ‘internal US issue’

  KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukraine on Thursday brushed off the impeachment of Donald Trump an a US “internal issue”, despite the process being triggered by a telephone conversation between the American leader and his Ukrainian counterpart. Trump was impeached on Wednesday by the House of Representatives for abuse of power over the July conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Ukraine does not interfere in the internal affairs of any state,” Zelensky’s spokeswoman Yuliya Mendel told […]