TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit southern Japan Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but Japanese authorities said there was no tsunami threat. The quake struck at 8:48 am (2348 GMT Thursday) in Pacific waters nearly 40 kilometers (25 miles) east-southeast of Miyazaki city at a depth of 24 km, according to the agency. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there were no worries about tsunami damage. The weather agency issued an emergency […]
International
10 million signatures urging Trump impeachment delivered to Congress
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two House Democrats on Thursday joined activists at the US Capitol who presented Congress with signatures of 10 million people calling on lawmakers to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. “We are holding in our hands 10 million reasons for being here today,” progressive congressman Al Green said, as he and first-term congresswoman Rashida Tlaib held up a flash drive. Dozens of cardboard boxes featuring the signatures, gathered on […]
N.Korea’s Kim ordered ‘long-range strike’ drill: state media
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a “long-range strike” drill, the state news agency reported Friday, a day after South Korea said the weapons fired were short-range missiles. “At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Thursday’s launch was […]
North Korea fires projectiles: South’s military
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea fired a number of unidentified projectiles Thursday, the South’s military said, as a US envoy visited Seoul for discussions on how to break the nuclear deadlock. “North Korea fired unidentified projectiles eastward” from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The launch came just days after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles, with at […]
DR Congo: Ebola claims over 1,000 lives, Guterres commits ‘whole’ UN system, to help ‘end the outbreak’
Now in its tenth month, the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has claimed more than a thousand lives, prompting Secretary-General António Guterres to throw the support of “the whole United Nations system” into stemming the spread of the deadly virus. Mr. Guterres expressed concern over the number of new Ebola cases in the east of the DRC on Wednesday, reiterating UN support “for efforts to end the outbreak”. “With important […]
Around 52 million in Near East, North Africa, suffering chronic undernourishment, new UN food agency report reveals
Hunger continues to rise as conflicts and protracted crises have worsened in the Near East and North Africa region (NENA), which is likely to affect food security for years to come, warned the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Wednesday. “Conflicts and civil instability have long-lasting impacts on the food and nutrition security of both affected and surrounding countries in the regions”, Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, Assistant Director-General and NENA Representative of the (FAO) said, […]
Canadian man fights China death penalty in appeal
BEIJING, China (AFP) — A Chinese court was expected to hold a hearing Thursday on a Canadian man’s appeal against a death sentence for drug smuggling in a case that has deepened a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Ottawa. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, 36, was sentenced to death in January after a court deemed his previous 15-year prison sentence too lenient. The appeal hearing comes a day after a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, […]
Huawei exec vows to fight extradition to US in Canada court
by Alia DHARSSI VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) — A top Chinese telecom executive whose arrest in Canada on a US warrant triggered a bitter diplomatic row vowed Wednesday to vigorously fight extradition to the US. Meng Wanzhou, 47, who faces charges related to Iran sanctions violations, was appearing at a Vancouver courthouse to set a timetable for her upcoming extradition hearing. “The criminal case against Miss Meng is based on allegations that are simply untrue,” her […]
Venezuela’s Maduro warns of military escalation with Colombia
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro warned Wednesday of a possible “military escalation” with neighboring Colombia after Bogota accused Caracas of sheltering leftist guerrillas on its territory. “There is an escalation of statements that could end in a military escalation on the border,” involving “the criminal forces of Colombia against Venezuela,” Maduro said in a speech to supporters. “Everything is part of the plan of US imperialism,” he said. The televised speech followed […]
Trump moves to strangle Iran economy as nuclear deal withers
by Shaun Tandon with Amir Havasi in Tehran WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump on Wednesday tightened the screws further on Iran with sanctions on its mining industry after a frustrated Tehran said it would suspend some promises it made under a nuclear deal rejected by Washington. On the anniversary of Trump’s withdrawal from the accord he denounced as “horrible,” tensions were soaring after the United States deployed an aircraft carrier strike […]
One of two suspects in deadly US school shooting is a girl
HIGHLAND RANCH, United States (AFP) — One of the two suspects in a Colorado school shooting that left a student dead and eight wounded is a girl, Denver police said Wednesday. The sheriff of Douglas County, in the Denver suburbs, initially said his men had arrested two boys after Tuesday’s shooting spree, both students at the Highlands Ranch STEM school. One of the suspects was 18 and the other was a minor. But Sheriff Tony […]
US storms kill one, disrupt flights
CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — Flooding caused by heavy rains on Wednesday claimed one life and led to evacuations and travel disruptions in the central United States. From Texas to Wisconsin, flooding affected various communities along a north-south path more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) in length. Evacuations were reported in Kansas and one person was killed by floodwaters in Austin, Texas. “This is a long haul event, so be prepared for more rain and […]





