International

Japanese emperor stresses his peaceful reign ahead of abdication

In a rare emotional address ahead of his abdication next year, Japanese Emperor Akihito said he took “deep comfort” that his long reign had been one of peace as he remembered the “countless lives” lost in World War II. Akihito, in a pre-recorded speech to mark his 85th birthday Sunday, also paid tribute to the Japanese people and Empress Michiko, the first commoner to join the tradition-bound imperial family who has been at his side […]

Shocking video shows tsunami rip through stage as band performs

  Dramatic video posted online showed the tsunami that struck Indonesia smashing into an open-air concert, hurling members of a pop band from the stage and slamming into the audience. Riefian Fajarsyah, lead vocalist of the band “Seventeen” later posted an emotional video to his 260,000 Instagram followers in which he said the group’s bassist and road manager were killed. The band were playing Saturday night to a large crowd in a marquee at the […]

Turkey, Israel in new war of words

Turkey on Sunday hit out at Israel’s “lawless occupation” of Palestinian territory after the Israeli prime minister accused Turkey of “massacres” against Kurds in a new war of words. Relations between Turkey and Israel have been tense this year over multiple issues including a controversial law passed by the Israeli parliament in July which defined the country as the nation state of the Jewish people. Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “should […]

UPDATED: ‘Volcano’ tsunami kills at least 168 in Indonesia

  by Muhammad Ary Agence France Presse CARITA, Indonesia (AFP) — A tsunami following a volcanic eruption killed at least 168 people when it slammed without warning into popular beaches around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait on Saturday night, cutting a swathe of destruction and triggering mass panic as it swept inland. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (1430 […]

“Volcano” tsunami kills at least 43 in Indonesia

CARITA, Indonesia – At least 43 people have been killed and nearly 600 injured in a tsunami in Indonesia that may have been caused by a volcano known as the “child” of the legendary Krakatoa, officials said Sunday. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beaches without warning in South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Saturday, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo […]

23 dead in Nepal student bus crash

  KATHMANDU, Nepal (AFP) — Twenty-three people died in western Nepal when a bus carrying school students and teachers back from a botanical field trip plunged into a gorge, police said. The students were aged mostly between 16 and 20. Two teachers and the driver also died in the accident early evening on Friday in a remote area. The vehicle was carrying 37 people, with 22 killed at the scene and another in a nearby […]

US govt shuts down at midnight as House adjourns with no deal

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US House of Representatives adjourned Friday without Congress passing a spending deal, assuring a partial government shutdown at midnight as President Donald Trump and lawmakers remain at odds over border wall funding. Operations for several key agencies will cease in the early hours of Saturday, despite last-ditch talks that continued on Capitol Hill between White House officials and congressional leaders in both parties. Trump is seeking $5 billion […]

US Fed could rethink rate hikes as Trump trade wars drag on economy

by Heather SCOTT Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US central bank sent a strong signal on Friday that it would be willing to reconsider expected interest rate hikes amid new data showing President Donald Trump’s multi-front trade wars are dragging on the economy and shaking up investors. The message, from the senior Federal Reserve official with the closest links to US financial markets, sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 300 […]

Nets win sixth-straight game against LeBron James, Lakers

By Carlo Valdez EBC New Jersey Bureau BROOKLYN, NY (Eagle News) – LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers took on the red-hot Brooklyn Nets in a sold-out crowd bleeding purple and gold to support who some have dubbed as the world’s greatest basketball player at Barclays Center Tuesday night. The Lakers tried to end their last of their four-game road trip with a win. Despite the King’s 36-point performance, the team could not quite handle […]

Spurs defeat Magic 129-90; Orlando’s worst loss of season

By Melissa Potes EBC Florida Bureau ORLANDO, FL (Eagle News) – Orlando Magic Head Coach, Steve Clifford, has been preaching the importance of defending their home court. However, in the Magic’s most recent home game against the San Antonio Spurs the team did not execute what Clifford preached. The Magic were attempting to go for the season sweep against the Spurs as well as get to .500 and improve their current record of 14-15. However, […]

Gatwick airport says reopened for limited number of flights

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — London’s Gatwick Airport, paralyzed for more than two days after dozens of drone sightings, said it planned to reopen Friday for a “limited number” of flights. “Gatwick’s runway is currently available and a limited number of aircraft are scheduled for departure and arrival,” the airport said on Twitter. It advised passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. But police have still yet to find […]

Dozens of bodies ‘found in IS mass grave’ in Iraq

HAWIJA, Iraq (AFP) — Iraqi authorities said they uncovered a new mass grave containing the remains of dozens of people in an area of northern Kirkuk province once held by the Islamic State group. Security forces have discovered dozens of mass graves since they drove out IS in 2017 after three years of occupation of swathes of northern and western Iraq. The United Nations said in November that more than 200 mass graves containing up to […]