by Amber WANG / Sean CHANG Agence France Presse YILAN, Taiwan (AFP) — At least 18 people have died after an express train derailed and flipped over on a popular coastal tourist route in Taiwan on Sunday, the island’s worst rail accident for more than 25 years. Images from the site showed the Puyuma Express train completely derailed and lying zig-zagged across the track in northeastern Yilan county. All of the train’s eight carriages had […]
International
Erdogan, Trump agree on ‘need to clarify’ Khashoggi case: Turkish presidency
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump agreed in telephone talks on Sunday that the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul needed to be clarified, the Turkish presidency said. “The two leaders agreed that the Jamal Khashoggi case should be clarified in all its aspects,” a Turkish presidential source said. © Agence France-Presse
EU demands full probe, accountability after Khashoggi death
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The EU’s top diplomat Federica Mogherini called Saturday for a thorough investigation into the “deeply troubling” death of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and full accountability for those responsible. The EU statement echoed earlier condemnations from member countries France and Germany after Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate. “The emerging circumstances of Jamal Khashoggi’s death are deeply troubling, including the shocking violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention […]
Saudi to host ‘Davos in desert’ despite outcry over slain journalist
by Anuj Chopra Agence France Presse RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia will host a key investment summit on Tuesday, overshadowed by the killing of critic Jamal Khashoggi that has prompted a wave of policymakers and corporate giants to withdraw. Just ahead of the three-day Future Investment Initiative (FII), dubbed “Davos in the desert”, the kingdom sought to defuse the crisis with an about-face admission on Saturday that the journalist died in its […]
Trump opposes halting Saudi arms deal after journalist death
ELKO, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump warned Saturday against halting a Saudi arms deal, saying it would hurt American jobs, despite the international furor over the death in the conservative kingdom’s Istanbul consulate of a dissident journalist. “We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia,” Trump told reporters about an agreement to sell weapons to Riyadh. “It’s […]
Seven dead, 23 missing in DR Congo canoe accident
TSHIKAPA, DR Congo (AFP) — Seven diamond miners died and another 23 were missing after two canoes capsized in central Democratic Republic of Congo, government and mining officials said on Friday. Local official Kerozene Kabongo told AFP the canoes were carrying miners who dive for diamonds in the Kasai river on Thursday when they overturned in high winds, 15 km (nine miles) east of Tshikapa city. “Two canoes transporting our colleagues capsized yesterday (Thursday) in […]
Dozens of casualties as multiple blasts rock Kabul polling centres
by Allison JACKSON KABUL, Afghanistan (AFP) — Multiple explosions rocked polling centres across Kabul on Saturday, causing dozens of casualties, amid growing anger among voters as they waited hours to cast their ballots in long-delayed legislative elections. At least 30 people have been taken to a trauma hospital run by the Italian NGO Emergency, including a dead child, the organisation said on Twitter, hours after the Taliban warned voters to boycott the ballot “to protect […]
Catholic Church’s Buffalo diocese submits documents to US feds amid sex abuse allegations
The Catholic Church’s diocese of Buffalo in New York state acknowledged Friday having received a demand for documents believed to be linked to a US federal investigation into sexual abuse. “Several months ago, we received a call from the local US Attorney’s office with a request to review documents,” the diocese said in a statement, without giving details about what the documents pertained to. “A subpoena was provided and after some discussion, an agreement […]
Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi killed in Istanbul consulate: state media
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in Istanbul, state media said, two weeks after his disappearance sparked global furore. The kingdom also announced the sacking of a top intelligence official Ahmad al-Assiri and royal court media advisor Saud al-Qahtani, both top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has faced mounting pressure over the Khashoggi affair. Saudi journalist […]
Royals Harry and Meghan go barefoot on Bondi
by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — British royals Harry and Meghan kicked off their shoes and donned tropical garlands Friday as they hit Sydney’s famed Bondi beach for the latest stop on their Australian tour. Expectant Meghan put on a summer dress and set aside her high heels, while Harry ditched his usual suit for chinos as the couple lapped up cheers from Australian fans and enjoyed Bondi’s surf. Despite […]
US opens federal investigation into Catholic Church abuse
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The US has for the first time opened a federal investigation into abuse committed by Catholic clergy, issuing a subpoena to dioceses in Pennsylvania two months after the publication of a report on decades of sexual abuse in the state. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia confirmed on its website Thursday that it had “received a subpoena issued by a federal grand jury, which requires the production of certain documents.” […]
Afghan attack won’t change Kandahar security situation: Mattis
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday the killing of a top Afghan official would not fundamentally change the security situation in Kandahar province. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for Thursday’s shooting in the restive southern province that killed anti-Taliban strongman and police chief, General Abdul Raziq. At least two other people died during the attack inside a fortified government compound in Kandahar city that targeted a high-level security meeting. The […]