International

Key points from Facebook-Zuckerberg hearings

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg testified for nearly 10 hours over two days on Facebook’s privacy and data protection issues before committees of the Senate and House on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are key points: Protecting the platform “It’s clear now we didn’t do enough,” Zuckerberg said on the protection of private user data and to prevent the hijacking of data on millions by Cambridge Analytica. Zuckerberg said Facebook was built […]

Australia admits tensions with China but denies ‘deep chill’

  SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s prime minister admitted Thursday bubbling tensions with China over allegations of Beijing meddling in domestic politics, but denied there was a “deep chill” in relations after reports ministers were being refused visas. Bilateral ties took a dive late last year when Canberra announced wide-ranging reforms to espionage and foreign interference legislation, singling out China as a focus of concern. It sparked a furious response from Beijing, which summoned Australia’s ambassador […]

Trump warns Russia missiles ‘coming’ after Syria attack

by Dave Clark © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that “missiles will be coming” in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria, as the UN chief urged world powers to stop a face-off with Russia from spiraling out of control. With punitive US military action seemingly imminent, Russia scrambled to deflect blame from its ally Bashar al-Assad and, according to a monitor group, Syrian forces evacuated key […]

Ivanka helps fill Trump’s absence at Latin America summit

  by Ana Fernandez © Agence France-Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Ivanka Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are stepping in to fill US President Donald Trump’s absence at a summit of Latin American leaders taking place in Peru late this week. But with the US leader a no-show because of a last-minute cancellation to oversee America’s response to an alleged poison gas attack in Syria, the blaze of international attention directed at the Friday-Saturday gathering […]

New Zealand halts new offshore oil and gas exploration

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration as part of its efforts to deal with climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday. “(We are) taking an important step to address climate change and create a clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. The oil and gas industry in New Zealand generates about NZ$2.5 billion a year ($1.8 billion), including NZ$1.5 […]

N. Korea parliament meets but Kim absent ahead of summits

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea’s parliament has met to rubber-stamp Kim Jong Un’s policies, but the leader himself was conspicuously absent as he prepares for two key summits with South Korea and the US. Kim had been present at six out of eight previous Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) sessions held since he officially became party head six years ago, according to the South’s Unification Ministry. But he appeared to skip Wednesday’s meeting, with […]

UN Council must prevent Syria ‘spiraling out of control’: Guterres

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday voiced concern to the Security Council’s five permanent members over the “impasse” on Syria, stressing “the need to avoid the situation spiraling out of control.” His comments follow the Council’s failure to agree on a response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria’s rebel-held Douma over the weekend that has triggered global fury. “I have also been closely following developments in the […]

#ZuckerBowl without a clear winner as Facebook hearings end

by Paul Handley and Rob Lever © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg emerged largely unscathed Wednesday from two days of high-stakes hearings that saw US lawmakers grill the billionaire over how the online giant feeds users’ data to advertisers and chide him over privacy rights. The marathon 10 hours of questioning was one of the biggest spectacles in Congress in recent memory, followed blow by blow on social media under […]

Azerbaijan’s Aliyev wins election boycotted by opposition

by Elman Mamedov © Agence France-Presse BAKU, Azerbaijan (AFP) — Azerbaijan strongman Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday secured a fourth consecutive term in a snap election boycotted by the main opposition parties, near-complete results showed. An Aliyev victory was widely seen as a foregone conclusion with the Caspian state’s downtrodden opposition unable to mount a serious challenge to his authoritarian rule. Aliyev’s position has been boosted in recent years by the steady influx of petrodollars into his […]

Florida school shooter wants to donate inheritance to survivors

  MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz wants to donate his inheritance — which could run to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more — to the bereaved families and survivors of his attack, his lawyers said Wednesday. Cruz walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the south Florida city of Parkland on February 14 and opened fire at students and staff with an AR-15-style semi-automatic weapon. He stands accused of […]

Trump holds Syria, Russia ‘responsible’ for chemical attack

  by Andrew  Beatty © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump holds Russia and Syria responsible for a suspected chemical attack that killed more than 40 people, the White House said Wednesday, refusing to rule out direct military engagement with Russia. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders slapped aside Russian suggestions that Saturday’s attack in Douma could have been faked and said Trump was still weighing military options in response. […]

Pope Francis admits ‘grave errors’ in Chile sex abuse scandal

  VATICAN CITY, Holy See (AFP) — Pope Francis admitted Wednesday he had made “grave mistakes in the assessment and perception of the situation” in Chile after reading the findings of an investigation into sexual abuse committed by the clergy in the country. Francis said in a letter to Chilean Bishops released by the Vatican that he intended to summon them to Rome to discuss the investigation, which involves Bishop Juan Barros’ alleged cover-up of […]