International

Divided APEC leaders battle for unity after US, China spat

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — New Zealanders have been quick to find a way to celebrate Ireland’s historic Test win in Dublin, highlighting that the All Blacks loss was at least masterminded by a Kiwi. In a country where 20 percent of the population claim Irish ancestry, the All Blacks’ defeat on Saturday was still seen by some as a win for New Zealand. The 16-9 victory was the third time in the […]

Cyclone death toll in southeast India hits 33: official

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — The death toll from a cyclone that battered India’s eastern coast has reached 33, a disaster official said Sunday, as authorities assessed the damage caused by the powerful storm. Cyclone Gaja, which packed winds of up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour, had barrelled into Tamil Nadu state after hitting the coast on Friday. Thousands of trees were felled by winds that destroyed homes and hundreds of thousands were […]

Pence says US to partner in Papua New Guinea military base

  PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — The United States said Saturday it will join forces with Australia in the development of a new naval base in Papua New Guinea, a project seen as a move to curb China’s influence in the Pacific. Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG’s Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island. China’s desire to build a military facility on Fiji’s […]

Pence vows tariffs to remain until ‘China changes its ways’

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — Vice President Mike Pence warned Saturday that US sanctions and pressure on China would remain in place until Beijing reforms its trade practices. “We’ve put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods and that number could more than double,” he told CEOs from around the region. “We hope for better, but the United States will not change course until China changes its ways.” © Agence France-Presse

Number of missing jumps to more than 1,000 in California fire

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) —  The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had soared from 631 on Thursday to 1,011 on Friday as more reports of missing were being sent in and as emergency calls made when the fire broke […]

China’s Xi: No one wins from ‘cold war, hot war, trade war’

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday that no one wins from military, political or trade confrontation, amid fears that rivalry between Beijing and the US could escalate. “History has shown that confrontation — whether in form of cold war, hot war or trade war — will produce no winners,” Xi told a business conference ahead of an APEC summit expected to be dominated by a tussle for influence […]

China’s Xi at APEC: protectionism ‘doomed to failure’

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AFP) — Protectionist actions are short-sighted and doomed to fail, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday ahead of an APEC summit at which US-China trade tensions are likely to take centre stage. “Attempts to erect barriers and cut close economic ties work against the laws of economics and the trends of history. This is a short-sighted approach and it is doomed to failure,” Xi told business leaders on the sidelines of […]

Migrant caravan faces cold welcome, few options at US-Mexico border

TIJUANA, Mexico (AFP) — The Central American migrant caravan faced a desperate situation Friday as its numbers swelled at the US-Mexican border, where it got a cold welcome and a warning that its chances of entering the United States were “almost nil.” After spending more than a month traveling the 4,300 kilometers (2,700 miles) to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, walking and hitch-hiking much of the way, thousands of migrants faced the bleak reality […]

CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince behind Khashoggi murder: report

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Central Intelligence Agency has concluded Saudi’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing people close to the matter. The US assessment directly contradicts the conclusions of a Saudi prosecutor one day prior, which exonerated the prince of involvement in the brutal murder. According to the CIA findings, 15 Saudi agents flew on government aircraft to […]

Chilli, punches thrown as Sri Lanka parliament brawls for second day

  COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Sri Lanka’s parliamentary speaker had to be escorted into the chamber ringed by police Friday as violence broke out for a second day, with lawmakers throwing chilli powder and furniture in the melee between rival factions in the island’s constitutional crisis. The Indian Ocean nation has been paralyzed since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse. Speaker […]

Khashoggi murder: What we know about Saudi suspects

  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered on October 2 in his country’s consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was drugged, dismembered and then transferred out of the consulate, Riyadh’s public prosecution said on Thursday. Here is what we know about the Saudi nationals allegedly involved in the murder that has provoked an international outcry. – 21 suspects – – […]

Saudis issue charges but exonerate crown prince in Khashoggi murder

  by Anuj Chopra with Paul Handley in Washington Agence France Presse RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — The Saudi government exonerated the country’s powerful crown prince of involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Thursday as death-penalty charges were announced against five men and the US placed sanctions on 17 suspected of involvement. Riyadh prosecutors announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the […]