International

Iran showing ‘maximum restraint,’ US escalation ‘unacceptable’: Zarif

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) –Iran is showing “maximum restraint” despite the US withdrawal from a nuclear deal, the country’s foreign minister said Thursday, accusing Washington of an “unacceptable” escalation in tensions. “The escalation by the United States is unacceptable,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said in Tokyo where he is holding talks with Japanese officials. “We exercise maximum restraint… in spite of the fact that the United States withdrew from JCPOA last May,” he added, referring to the nuclear […]

Amnesty urges ICC to probe ‘crimes against humanity’ in Venezuela

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Amnesty International said Tuesday it believes the Venezuelan authorities have committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests, and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. The rights group said President Nicolas Maduro’s government responded with “a systematic and widespread policy of repression” in late January, when anti-government protests swept the country after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president. Maduro opponents were tortured and killed during […]

Riyadh says oil facility attacks target world supplies

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia said Wednesday that attacks on two of its oil tankers and a major pipeline targeted not only its own security but that of the world’s supplies. Drone attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels shut down one of the kingdom’s main oil pipelines on Tuesday, further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage of four ships, two of them Saudi tankers, just outside the Gulf on Sunday. “The […]

British govt to put forward Brexit bill in June

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May’s government will publish draft legislation in the first week of June that would allow Brexit to proceed if approved by parliament, a Downing Street spokesman announced on Tuesday. The statement came after talks between May and opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on a possible compromise that would end a deadlock on Brexit in parliament. May met with Corbyn “to make clear our determination to bring the […]

Guaido blasts Venezuela regime after security forces block congress

by Diego URDANETA CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Juan Guaido accused the Venezuelan government of trying to “gag” Congress after security forces prevented opposition lawmakers from entering the National Assembly on Tuesday, two weeks after the opposition leader’s failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. Deputies said members of the National Guard, who provide security for the building, along with police and SEBIN intelligence agents blocked access to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The move came as Amnesty […]

Xi: ‘No clash’ of civilisations amid US trade war

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping declared Wednesday there was “no clash” of civilizations and denounced racial supremacy as “stupid” amid tensions with the United States and concerns over Beijing’s rising global power. His remarks came after a top-level US official last month described the rivalry between China and the US as “a fight with a really different civilization and a different ideology”. Kiron Skinner, the director of policy planning at the US […]

US Catholic abuse victims sue Vatican to name predatory priests

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Five Americans who say they were sexually molested by Catholic priests filed a lawsuit against the Vatican on Tuesday to compel the church to open its archives and hand over the names and details of abusive clergy. The plaintiffs “were harmed as a result of the Defendant Holy See’s practice and policy of not reporting suspected child abuse to law enforcement officials,” stated the lawsuit filed in US federal […]

Statue of Liberty museum set to open amid immigration debate

by Catherine TRIOMPHE NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The Statue of Liberty, which has welcomed generations of immigrants to US shores, is getting a new museum at a time when immigration is an explosive topic. The $100 million Statue of Liberty Museum, which is located near the base of “Lady Liberty” in New York harbor, opens on Thursday. Construction of the 26,000-square-foot (2,400-square-meter) glass-walled structure fringed with copper began in October 2016. From the […]

US, Russia ‘share same objective’ on N.Korea: Pompeo

SOCHI, Russia (AFP) — The United States and Russia share the same goals on North Korea as Washington tries to negotiate a nuclear deal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after talks with President Vladimir Putin. “I think we share the same objective and I hope that we can find ways that we can work together,” Pompeo told reporters after the talks late Tuesday in the Russian resort of Sochi. “He understands that the US […]

Leonard, Raptors finish off Embiid, Sixers in Game 7 thriller

By Tennie Sumague EBC New York Bureau TORONTO, ON (Eagle News) – An epic Game 7 between the Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers provided an unforeseen dramatic closing to a hard-fought series, which can best be described as ‘poetry in motion.’ With 4.2 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 90,  Kawhi Leonard dribbled an inbound pass from Marc Gasol to the baseline and shot a fadeaway jumper over Joel Embiid that bounced on […]

Putin meets Pompeo as US seeks ‘a way forward’ in ties

  by Shaun Tandon Agence France Presse SOCHI, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday meets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the highest-level talks between the rival powers in nearly a year as they see if they can make headway on a raft of disagreements from Venezuela to Iran to arms control. Pompeo will visit Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi less than two weeks after US President Donald […]

Five dead, one missing in floatplanes collision in Alaska

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Five people died and one person was missing Monday after two floatplanes collided mid-air in Alaska while carrying passengers from a cruise ship’s sightseeing expedition, officials said. The two aircraft — a Beaver floatplane and an Otter floatplane — had been carrying 16 passengers from the Royal Princess cruise ship when they crashed near Ketchikan around 1:00 pm (2100 GMT), Princess Cruises said in a statement circulated by US media. […]