TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A nine-year-old girl was killed and one other person feared dead after a strong quake rocked Japan’s second city of Osaka during Monday’s morning rush hour. There were no immediate reports of major damage and no tsunami warning was issued after the powerful quake, which stranded commuters and left tens of thousands without power. Local police said a girl, aged nine, had died in the city of Takatsuki, north of Osaka […]
International
Strong quake hits western Japan, no tsunami risk
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A strong quake hit western Japan early Monday, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or risk of tsunami waves, officials said. The 5.3-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 15.4 kilometres (10 miles) at 7:58 am (2258 GMT Sunday) near Osaka, according to the United States Geological Survey. There was no risk of tsunami from the tremor, the Japanese meteorological agency said, putting its magnitude at 5.9, and […]
Experts brew up advice on perfect cup of coffee
By Bobby Soriano New York Bureau NEW YORK (Eagle News) — Cup of joe. Morning brew. Kape. No matter what you call it chances are that either you or someone you know is an avid coffee drinker. But what goes into making a great cup of coffee? What can you do to improve the coffee you make at home? You will probably get a different answer from each person you ask. Industry experts were on […]
Major US military exercises with South Korea ‘suspended indefinitely’
by Thomas Watkins, with Ben Dooley in Beijing Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military has indefinitely postponed major joint exercises with South Korea, an official told AFP on Thursday, acting on President Donald Trump’s pledge to halt the “provocative” military drills following his summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. The move, a significant break in how the US and South Korean militaries have worked together for decades, came […]
Yemen rebel attack kills 12 soldiers south of Hodeida
AL DURAIHMI, Yemen (AFP) — A Yemeni rebel attack killed 12 pro-government soldiers south of the battleground Red Sea port city of Hodeida on Friday, military and medical sources said. The rebels launched the attack on the coast road from the government-held ports of Khokha and Mokha along which Saudi-backed troops advanced on Hodeida earlier this week, the military source said. Dozens of combatants have been killed since the offensive began on Wednesday and the […]
China vows to retaliate ‘immediately’ to US tariffs
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China vowed Friday to “immediately” retaliate to US tariffs as Washington moved closer to imposing duties that could trigger a trade war. “If the US side adopts unilateral protectionist measures and damages China’s interests, we will immediately react and take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our legitimate rights and interests,” said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang during a regular news briefing. US President Donald Trump is due to unveil later Friday […]
Chile authorities raid sites linked to church sex abuse
SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — Police on Wednesday seized church files in raids in Santiago and Rancagua, as the Catholic Church scrambled to try to put a better face on a sex abuse scandal that has rocked Chile. The surprise operations came as Maltese archbishop Charles Scicluna and fellow papal envoy Jordi Bertomeu are visiting for a second time to take witness statements from victims of sexual abuse in the church and provide instruction to […]
S. Korea jails ex-spy chiefs for bribing former president
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Three South Korean former spy chiefs were sentenced to jail Friday for bribing disgraced ex-president Park Geun-hye with millions of dollars from the country’s intelligence agency. The trio were convicted of funnelling a total of 3.5 billion won ($3.2 million) to Park while they each served as head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) under the then-president between 2013 and 2016. “Special activities funds of the NIS should be spent on […]
UN chief urged to raise Ukrainian prisoners in talks with Putin
UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States, France, Britain and 35 other countries asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday to raise the case of jailed film director Oleg Sentsov and dozens of other Ukrainian prisoners during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week. The UN chief will hold talks with Putin on Wednesday and attend a Portugal-Morocco match during the World Cup that Russia is hosting. The 38 countries wrote […]
Updated: Mexico declares ‘red alert’ for Tropical Storm Bud
LOS CABOS, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican authorities declared a “red alert” Thursday for the popular resort region of Los Cabos as Tropical Storm Bud closed in on the coast, whipping it with wind and rain. Under the measure, the highest level of alert, authorities will evacuate some 9,000 people from areas at high risk of flooding and other damage, said the head of emergency services for the state of Baja California Sur, Carlos Alfredo Godinez. “We […]
Trump prepares China tariff target list as confrontation escalates
by Douglas Gillison © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Friday was due to unveil a final list of Chinese imports that would face punishing tariffs but it remained uncertain whether he would hold fire as part of a negotiating strategy. Imposing the tariffs would escalate the trade confrontation with Beijing, and potentially set off a round of tit-for-tat retaliation, which economists warn would damage the global economy. The deadline […]
Mexico declares ‘orange alert’ for Tropical Storm Bud
LOS CABOS, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican authorities declared an “orange alert” Thursday for the popular resort region of Los Cabos as Tropical Storm Bud closed in on the coast, whipping it with wind and rain. “We ask people to redouble their preventive measures,” said Governor Carlos Mendoza of the state of Baja California Sur, declaring the second-highest alert level. With its turquoise water and picturesque beaches, the Baja California peninsula in northwestern Mexico is a […]