International

Deadly floods hit southwest France

by Charlotte DURAND Agence France Presse VILLEGAILHENC, France (AFP) — At least 11 people died when violent rainstorms turned rivers into raging torrents in southwest France on Monday, prompting some of the deadliest flooding in years, officials said. The equivalent of three months rainfall was dumped overnight in the region of Carcassonne in just a few hours, sending rivers over their banks, including the Aude, which reached levels not seen in 100 years. Local authorities […]

Six dead as heavy storms hit southwestern France

TOULOUSE, France (AFP) — At least six people died after heavy storms swamped parts of southwestern France, flooding rivers and cutting roads, officials said Monday. The Aude department, which includes the fortress city of Carcassonne, was particularly badly hit. One woman was swept to her death by rising waters in the Aude village of Villardonnel, and at least four died overnight in Villegailhenc, local authorities said. A sixth person also died in the department, authorities […]

Brexit could rewrite the rules in Channel fishing fights

by Chloé COUPEAU with Robin MILLARD in Brixham Agence France Presse PORT-EN-BESSIN-HUPPAIN, France (AFP) — With tensions already high between the French and British fishing fleets after a confrontation over scallops, Brexit could change the game completely by redrawing battle lines in the Channel. French fishermen are anxious to avoid a Brexit that could shut them out of British territorial waters, while in British ports, trawlermen hope such moves could reinvigorate their fishing industry. The […]

Merkel’s Bavarian allies suffer historic election losses

by Ralf ISERMANN with Frank ZELLER in Berlin Agence France Presse MUNICH, Germany (AFP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CSU allies suffered historic losses in Bavaria state elections Sunday, dealing a blow to her fragile three-party coalition government. The Christian Social Union (CSU) scored 37 percent, a steep 10-point drop from four years ago in the wealthy Alpine state it has ruled almost single-handedly since the 1960s. As a result, it loses its absolute […]

‘Zombie’ storm Leslie smashes into Portugal

by Thomas CABRAL Agence France Presse LISBON, Portugal (AFP) — Violent storms hit Portugal early on Sunday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power before carrying heavy rain on into Spain, authorities said. Leslie, which was a category one hurricane but weakened to a post-tropical storm as it made landfall late Saturday, left 28 people with minor injuries, civil defense commander Luis Belo Costa told reporters. The region around the capital Lisbon and the […]

Brexit deal vital to European security: London

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Securing a Brexit deal will be vital for European security, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Monday, ahead of a week of crucial talks. “This is a crucial week both for the UK and our European partners, Hunt said in a statement ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg. “The importance of achieving a Brexit deal that respects the autonomy of the EU and the sovereignty […]

Rescue teams in Florida search for survivors in hurricane-devastated Mexico Beach

by Cyril JULIEN Agence France Presse MEXICO BEACH, United States (AFP) — Carefully, the search and rescue team examines what is left of a house devastated by Hurricane Michael when it blasted through this small waterfront community days earlier. Wearing a hard hat and with a hammer in hand, chief Dobson, one of several hundred people searching for survivors in the ruins of Mexico Beach, gingerly climbs the rickety stairs to Number 2603. “Fire rescue, […]

China bemoans ‘confusing’ US signals but holds hope for a Trump-Xi meet

by Brian KNOWLTON</strong Agence France Presse WASHIGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will “probably” meet at a G20 summit next month, a US official said Sunday, as both sides seek answers for a badly strained relationship that a Chinese official called “very confusing.” “The presidents will probably meet at the G20 in Buenos Aires,” Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on the “Fox News Sunday” program. But […]

Saudi Arabia vows retaliation if punished over missing critic

by Omar Hasan Agence France Presse DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Saudi Arabia warned Sunday it would retaliate against any sanctions imposed on the oil-rich kingdom over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as the Riyadh stock market plunged on growing investor jitters. From tech tycoons to media giants, a host of Western companies are now distancing themselves from the Gulf state, imperilling Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s much-hyped economic reform drive. US President […]

US charity school in Liberia in rape scandal storm; probe says charity co-founder who had died of AIDS raped school girls

  MONROVIA, Liberia (AFP) — An acclaimed US charity operating in Liberia has admitted to major failings after girls at a school set up to save them from a life of sexual exploitation were systematically raped. “We are profoundly, deeply sorry,” the charity More Than Me said on its website on Saturday after US investigative media said girls at a pioneering school in a slum had been repeatedly abused by the charity’s co-founder, Macintosh Johnson. […]

‘Zombie’ Hurricane Leslie bears down on Portugal, Spain

by Thomas Cabral Agence France Presse LISBON, Portugal (AFP) — Heavy squalls began to hit Portugal late Saturday, with the country on red alert as Hurricane Leslie barrelled towards its coastline in what could be the fiercest storm since 1842. Neighbouring Spain was also preparing itself for what was dubbed a “zombie” hurricane, as it first formed on September 23 and has been meandering through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for weeks. Leslie was […]

Fujimori upset over daughter’s arrest, asks feuding kids to get along

LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori on Saturday criticized the arrest of his daughter Keiko for alleged money laundering and pleaded with his feuding children, who are battling to lead the biggest party in Congress, to join forces. “I have never felt greater pain in my life than I did seeing my daughter detained and hauled off to prison,” the 80-year-old Fujimori said from a Lima medical clinic where he has been […]