International

Xi woos Pacific islands to curb Taiwan’s influence

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will sit down with seven Pacific island allies Friday, doling out attention and perhaps some largesse in the hope of convincing more nations to drop recognition of Taiwan. While countries have vied for resource contracts and influence along vital Pacific shipping routes, the region has also become a frontline in the diplomatic war between Beijing and Taipei, which is struggling to retain support amid […]

Number of missing in California fire jumps past 600

PARADISE, United States (AFP) — The number of people listed as missing in one of California’s deadliest wildfires has skyrocketed past 600, authorities said Thursday, as the remains of seven additional victims were found by rescuers. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had more than doubled during the day to 631 as investigators went back and checked emergency calls made when the fire broke out a week ago. “I want you to […]

US, China rivalry to dominate APEC summit

by Andrew BEATTY / Richard CARTER Agence France Presse PORT MORESBY, Ppaua New Guinea (AFP) — Asian Pacific leaders fly into the unlikely venue of Port Moresby Saturday for a summit developing into a tug-of-war for regional influence between an assertive China and an increasingly withdrawn United States. Donald Trump is skipping the two-day APEC meeting, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place, who is leaving after one day and staying in Australia rather […]

British PM fights rebellion over Brexit deal

by James PHEBY Agence France Presse LONDON, United kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May battled to salvage a draft Brexit deal and her political future on Thursday, as ministers resigned and members of her own party plotted to oust her. The Conservative leader said she believed with “every fibre of my being” in the Brexit course she had set, hours after facing a hostile parliament and seeing four ministers, including Brexit Secretary Dominic […]

North Korea ‘tests high-tech new weapon’: report

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised the testing of a “high-tech” new weapon, Pyongyang’s state media reported Friday according to Yonhap news agency. “Kim Jong Un inspected the testing of a newly developed high-tech tactical weapon at the Academy of National Defence Science,” Yonhap cited the North’s state broadcaster as saying. It said the test was successful but did not specify the type of device involved. The “high-tech […]

S.Korea says too early to restart industrial zone with North

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea said Thursday it would not restart an industrial zone with North Korea until its neighbor moves to give up nuclear weapons, although it voiced hope for progress. Cho Myoung-gyon, the South’s unification minister, said Seoul was abiding by international sanctions on Pyongyang despite President Moon Jae-in’s calls for a step-by-step easing of pressure. “One thing I would like to highlight here is that we are not going to […]

Migrant caravan arrives at US-Mexico border

by Yemeli ORTEGA / Said BETANZOS Agence France Presse TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The Central American migrant caravan trekking toward the United States converged on the US-Mexican border Thursday after more than a month on the road, undeterred by President Donald Trump’s deployment of thousands of American troops near the border. Around 800 migrants riding on 22 buses arrived at dawn in Tijuana, which is located across from San Diego, California, and walked from the […]

Trump to visit California wildfire victims: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump will fly Saturday to California to meet victims of wildfires that have killed at least 59 people and destroyed the homes of thousands, the White House said Thursday. At least 300 people are still missing and the death toll is expected to rise as recovery teams conduct house-to-house searches amid the wreckage of the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California. Trump will “meet with individuals impacted […]

California authorities take DNA samples to identify fire victims

By Javier Tovar Agence France-Presse PARADISE, CA (AFP) — California authorities were taking DNA samples from relatives on Thursday to help identify victims of the western US state’s deadly wildfires and seeking to track down some 300 missing persons. At least 59 deaths have been reported so far from the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California and the toll is expected to rise as body recovery teams with sniffer dogs conduct house-to-house searches. Fifty-six […]

More than 1,500 caravan migrants arrive at US-Mexico border

TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The bulk of the migrant caravan crossing Mexico began arriving Thursday at the US border, as around 800 Central Americans reached the city of Tijuana aboard 22 buses after more than a month on the road. “We’ve finally reached Tijuana. I can’t wait to see the border. It’s been a never-ending journey, but God brought us here,” said Carmen Soto, a Honduran migrant traveling with her two young children. More than […]

Raab resigns as Britain’s Brexit minister: statement

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a huge blow on Thursday as Dominic Raab quit as her Brexit secretary, saying he “must resign” over the proposed EU withdrawal agreement. “I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto,” he said in his resignation letter, published on his Twitter account. “I believe that the regulatory regime proposed for Northern Ireland […]

Death toll from California wildfires rises as 130 still missing

by Javier TOVAR Agence France-Presse PARADISE, United States (AFP) — The toll in the deadliest wildfires in recent California history climbed to 59 on Wednesday as authorities released a list of 130 people still missing. Most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise, in northern California, which was virtually erased from the map by the so-called “Camp Fire” blaze that erupted last week. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told journalists […]