International

On a Brexit mission, Britain’s Johnson takes office

  by Alice RITCHIE and Robin MILLARD Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Boris Johnson began putting together his top team as he prepared to take over as Britain’s prime minister on Wednesday, on a mission to deliver Brexit by October 31 by any means necessary. The former London mayor, a divisive figure best known for his gaffes and rhetorical flourishes, was elected on Tuesday by members of the governing Conservative party to […]

Russia says North Korea holding ship with 17 crew

  MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — North Korea is holding a Russian fishing ship with a crew of 15 Russians and two South Koreans since detaining it last week, the Russian embassy in Pyongyang said Wednesday. North Korean border guards took control of the ship belonging to the Russian North-Eastern Fishing Company on July 17. “According to the North Korean foreign ministry, the ship was detained for ‘violating rules of entry and stay’” in North Korea, […]

Trains slowed down as temperatures in Europe hit new record high

  by Adam PLOWRIGHT Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Trains were slowed down and holidaymakers flocked to swimming pools, beaches and lakes in western Europe on Wednesday as another heatwave set new temperature records. A host of French cities saw their highest levels since records began on Tuesday, with wine capital Bordeaux recording 41.2 degrees Celsius (106.16 Fahrenheit), beating the previous high of 40.7C registered in August 2003, weather service Meteo-France said. Forecasters […]

Four Chinese indicted for evading US weapons sanctions on N.Korea

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Four Chinese nationals have been indicted for financial dealings with North Korean companies sanctioned for involvement in the production of weapons of mass destruction, the US Justice Department said Tuesday. Ma Xiaohong, the head of Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. Ltd (DHID) and three top executives of the Chinese company were indicted by a federal grand jury in New Jersey, the department said in a statement. The other three […]

Search warrant issued against Puerto Rico’s embattled governor

MIAMI, FLA. (AFP) — Authorities in Puerto Rico have issued a search warrant against the US territory’s governor and 11 other men who exchanged derogatory chat messages about gays, hurricane victims and others, officials said Tuesday — the latest twist in a scandal engulfing the island’s leadership. The release of those chats two weeks ago helped trigger huge street demonstrations demanding the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rossello, who has refused to step down as leader […]

FBI chief: Russians still trying to meddle in US elections

  WASHINGTON, DC (AFP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Tuesday that Russia continues to threaten US elections, 16 months before the next presidential polls. “The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections,” Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “My view is until they stop they haven’t been deterred enough.” US intelligence and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation have documented a broad effort by Russian intelligence and a Russian social media […]

Boris Johnson wins race to become Britain’s next PM

  by Alice RITCHIE and James PHEBY Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Boris Johnson won the race to become Britain’s next prime minister on Tuesday, heading straight into a confrontation over Brexit with Brussels and parliament, as well as a tense diplomatic standoff with Iran. The former London mayor easily beat his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, in a vote of members of the governing Conservative Party. He is expected to be […]

Moscow denies Russian aircraft violated South Korean airspace: ministry

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Moscow denied on Tuesday that its aircraft had violated South Korean airspace, saying its jets had carried out planned drills over international waters. “Two Tu-95 strategic bombers of Russia’s aerospace forces carried out a planned flight in the airspace above the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan,” the defence ministry said in a statement. It also denied that the South Korean planes fired warning shots. Moscow said two South Korean […]

South Korea says it fired warning shots at Russian military jet

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean fighter jets fired over 400 warning shots and Japan complained to Moscow on Tuesday after a Russian military plane violated airspace claimed by both Seoul and Tokyo. Seoul said a Russian A-50 warplane twice entered South Korean airspace near the disputed Dokdo islets — which Japan calls Takeshima. South Korea officials said they responded by scrambling F-15K and KF-16 fighters, which first issued warnings and fired flares. […]

US tech CEOs support Trump on Huawei restrictions: W. House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Chief executives from several US tech companies met with President Donald Trump on Monday and expressed “strong support” for policies restricting the use of products from Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Washington accuses Huawei of working directly with the Chinese government and its intelligence services, which it says could pose security risks — claims the company denies. In May, Trump hit Huawei with an executive order that effectively banned it from […]

Britain plans European-led Gulf force after tanker seizure

by Alice RITCHIE LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain on Monday said it was planning a European-led protection force for shipping in the Gulf after Iranian authorities seized a British-flagged tanker in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned Iran’s actions as “state piracy” while at the same time emphasizing that Britain did not want confrontation. “We will seek to establish this mission as quickly as possible,” Hunt said, […]

Firefighters struggle against Portugal wildfires as winds pick up

by Bruno Cravo with Daniel Silva in Lisbon MACAO, PORTUGAL (AFP) — Portugal requested the loan of two water-bombing planes on Monday as winds revived massive wildfires in a central region where dozens of people were killed in huge blazes in 2017. Portugal’s civil protection agency had said on Monday morning the wildfires were “90 percent controlled” but officials said they were fanned back into life when winds picked up in the afternoon. Later in […]