TUNIS, Tunisia (AFP) — Arab leaders slammed the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory at a summit in Tunis on Sunday, but struggled for further unity as Qatar’s emir left the meeting early. In a final declaration, the Arab League summit said it “affirmed that the Golan is occupied Syrian territory according to international law, the decisions of the United Nations and the Security Council”. A separate statement dedicated solely to […]
International
Japan’s Emperor Akihito ends reign marked by modernization
by Hiroshi HIYAMA TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s outgoing Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko dramatically modernized the tradition-bound monarchy, bringing themselves closer to the public and boosting popular support for the household. Akihito has broken new ground with everything from his decision to marry for love to his outspoken calls for peace and expressions of regret over Japan’s wartime role. His approach has at times unsettled those who view the emperor as a divine priest […]
Lights out around the globe for Earth Hour environmental campaign
By Agence France Presse The Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House and even the ancient Acropolis in Athens were plunged into darkness for an hour Saturday as part of a global campaign to raise awareness about climate change and its impact on the planet’s vanishing plant and animal life. The 13th edition of Earth Hour, organised by green group WWF, saw millions of people across 180 countries turn off their lights at 8:30 pm to […]
5.2-magnitude quake shakes Greece
ATHENS, Greece (AFP) — A 5.2-magnitude quake jolted central Greece on Saturday, the country’s civil protection said, with no immediate reports of damage. The quake had a depth of around 14 kilometres (8.6 miles) and an epicentre near the town of Galaxidi in the Gulf of Corinth, some 200 kilometres (320 miles) northwest of the Greek capital, the authority said. The national geodynamic institute had earlier measured the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.3. […]
Lights out in Sydney for Earth Hour conservation campaign
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge were plunged into darkness for an hour Saturday to raise awareness about climate change and its impact on the planet’s vanishing biodiversity. The 12th edition of Earth Hour, organised by the green group WWF, will see millions of people across 180 countries turn off their lights at 8:30 pm local time to highlight energy use and the need for conservation. “We are […]
Trump threatens to close border with Mexico ‘next week’
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Friday again accused Mexico of failing to curb the flow of migrants illegally entering the US, and threatened to close the border “next week” unless something changes. Trump’s latest tweets ramp up the tension between the neighbors, putting a specific timeframe to his repeated threats to shut the border, one of the busiest in the world. “If Mexico doesn’t immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming […]
Hundreds vaccinated after measles emergency in New York
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — A New York county which declared a state of emergency over a measles outbreak is on the “right path” after administering hundreds of vaccinations in two days, the chief of the US district said on Friday. Under the emergency, Rockland County banned non-vaccinated minors from public places in a bid to prevent the once-eliminated disease from spreading. Planned for 30 days from midnight Wednesday, the emergency comes during […]
Ferry disaster shines spotlight on corruption in Iraq
by Ammar Karim Agence France-Presse BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) – A governor on the run, officials summoned to court and candidates accused of bribing councilors: the Mosul ferry disaster has brought renewed attention to the scourge of corruption in Iraq. Nationwide horror over the March 21 capsizing of the overloaded riverboat in the northern city of Mosul, which claimed 100 lives, mostly of women and children, has given way to a clamor for provincial officials to be […]
Sefcovic: EU commissioner vying for Slovak presidency
by Laszlo Juhasz Agence France-Presse BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AFP) – Maros Sefcovic, the ruling party’s candidate in Saturday’s Slovak presidential run-off against a government critic, is a long-time EU commissioner and career diplomat with a passion for sports. Though running as an independent, the 52-year-old European Commission vice-president has the backing of the governing populist Smer-SD party, which may have cost him first place in round one. Support for the three-party governing coalition took a hit last […]
Slovaks vote for president with outsider tipped to win
by Laszlo Juhasz / with Anna Maria Jakubek in Warsaw Agence France-Presse BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AFP) – Slovaks vote for a new president on Saturday with the odds-on-favorite an outsider whose anti-corruption stance has resonated with voters, still reeling from the fallout from an investigative journalist’s murder. An environmental lawyer with no experience in political office, Zuzana Caputova could become the EU and eurozone member’s first female president. Her rival in the run-off election is the […]
Facebook to tighten live stream access after mosque attacks
by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) – Facebook on Friday said it is tightening live video streaming rules in response to the service being used to broadcast deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand. The Christchurch attacks — carried out by a self-avowed white supremacist who opened fire on worshipers at two mosques — claimed 50 lives. Many people have “rightly questioned how online platforms such as Facebook were used to circulate […]
New docs, recording released in Canada PM meddling scandal
by Michel COMTE Agence France-Presse OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) – A political meddling scandal threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s re-election bid was given fresh impetus Friday with the release of messages and a secret recording supplied by his former attorney general. The House of Commons justice committee, looking into the explosive allegations that Trudeau officials pressured attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to shield engineering firm SNC-Lavalin from trial, released the materials from the now former official. The controversy […]