International

Wounded rebels evacuated ahead of Yemen talks as UN envoy visits

by Jamil Nasser with Natacha Yazbeck in Dubai Agence France Presse SANAA, Yemen (AFP) — The UN’s Yemen envoy visited rebel-held Sanaa on Monday as wounded insurgents were flown out of the capital for medical treatment, a key step towards bringing warring parties to the negotiating table in Sweden. A UN source said efforts were being made to reopen Sanaa International Airport, closed for the past three years because of the war between the Iran-aligned […]

China’s Xi in Panama on mission to bolster clout in Latin America

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AFP) — China’s President Xi Jinping and his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela signed a string of cooperation agreements Monday as Beijing aims to extend its political and economic influence in Latin America. Xi arrived in the Central American country late Sunday, fresh from striking a 90-day truce deal in the trade war with US President Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Argentina. Xi and Varela signed a score of infrastructure, […]

Paris riot suspects appear in court

PARIS, France (AFP) — The first of dozens of people charged over rioting at the weekend in Paris appeared in court on Monday in fast-tracked proceedings. Fifty-seven suspects face a range of public order charges over the violence. They include people from diverse backgrounds who joined the third round of “yellow vest” anti-government protests on Saturday which degenerated into some of the worst such violence in central Paris for decades. Some of the men had […]

Late president Bush lands in Washington for final farewell

by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — America’s national farewell to George H.W. Bush began Monday as the 41st US president touched down on his final journey to Washington, where his remains will lie in state in the US Capitol rotunda. Bush died Friday at age 94, at his home in Houston — “a very gentle and peaceful passing,” in the words of his lifelong friend and advisor James Baker. Only […]

US wants ‘concrete’ trade action from China within 90 days

by Heather SCOTT Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States said Monday it will need to see “something concrete” from China in the next 90 days to build a real agreement on trade, two days after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping called a truce in the escalating confrontation between the two economic powerhouses. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on CNBC the US and China had held “very specific discussions” in Buenos […]

Oil prices soar after Russia, Saudi renew pact to cap output

Oil prices soared on Monday after Russia and Saudi Arabia renewed a pact to cap output, while the US agreed to halt raising tariffs on Chinese imports, stalling a trade row that many feared could hit demand for the commodity. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “have agreed to extend our agreement” to limit production as prices slump on global markets. An existing deal committing OPEC and non-members […]

Qatar to quit OPEC in 2019: energy minister

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar is to leave OPEC next month in order for the Gulf state to focus on gas production, Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced on Monday. “Qatar has decided to withdraw its membership from OPEC effective January 2019,” Kaabi said at a Doha press conference. He added that Qatar would still continue to produce oil but would concentrate on gas production, where it is the biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas in […]

China agrees $9 billion currency swap with Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — China and Argentina signed a $9 billion currency swap deal to boost the crisis-stricken South American country’s foreign currency reserves, its central bank announced Sunday. Struggling to recover after a currency crisis earlier this year, Latin America’s third largest economy sought the help of the International Monetary Fund — which approved a $56 billion loan package. Now, this latest agreement will “contribute to greater financial stability and also facilitate trade” […]

Macron surveys damage after Paris riots, calls for talks

by Fabien Zamora and Adam Plowright Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday surveyed the damage from a day of riots across Paris and led a crisis meeting that ended with a call for further talks with anti-government activists who have staged two weeks of protests. Macron met with the prime minister, interior minister and top security service officials to forge a response to the violence that left hundreds […]

Trump to grant Kim Jong Un’s wishes after denuclearisation: S. Korea president

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — US President Donald Trump will grant North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un his wishes if he delivers on denuclearisation, the South Korean president said Sunday, following talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit. As officials work to arrange a second meeting between Trump and Kim, South Korea’s Moon Jae-in relayed a message to reporters given to him by the US president to pass on to the North’s leader. “And […]

US agrees to suspend new China tariffs for 90 days

  BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — The United States said Saturday that it agreed in a long-awaited summit with China to suspend new tariffs for 90 days as the two powers seek to end a trade war. The White House said a threatened increase of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent, which was set to take effect on January 1, would be put off for 90 days. “If […]

Violent clashes engulf Paris in new anti-Macron protests on high fuel taxes

  by Gregory Danel and Joseph Schmid Agence France Presse Anti-government protesters torched dozens of cars and set fire to storefronts during daylong clashes with riot police across central Paris on Saturday, as thousands took part in fresh “yellow vest” protests against high fuel taxes. Officers responded with tear gas after being targeted by protesters hurling rocks and other projectiles on the third weekend of demonstrations which have morphed into a broader rebuke of French […]