International

New York fire injures 23, including nine children

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — A fire destroyed a building and injured 23 people in New York on Tuesday, just days after the city’s deadliest inferno in a quarter of a century. The blaze broke out in The Bronx, the same northern borough where last week’s fire claimed 12 lives. “Our units arrived and were immediately faced with heavy fire. Numerous people were brought out of the building by the firefighters on scene,” said New York […]

Nine dead, hundreds arrested as fresh protests hit Iran

by Eric Randolph Agence France-Presse TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Nine people were killed as fresh unrest hit Iran overnight, state television said Tuesday, while hundreds have been arrested as authorities crack down on the biggest anti-regime demonstrations in years. An attack on a police station in the town of Qahderijan, in the central province of Isfahan, led to six protesters being killed, the state broadcaster reported. At least three other towns near the cultural hub […]

Iran hit by fifth night of protests

by Eric Randolph Agence France-Presse TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) – A fifth night of unrest in Iran saw a policeman killed and sporadic demonstrations in several parts of the country, local media and online users reported Tuesday, despite moves to crack down on the biggest protests against the regime in years. Small groups of protesters ran through the streets of Tehran on Monday evening, before a heavy police presence restored calm, local agencies said. The unrest remained focused […]

South Korea proposes high-level talks with North

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) – South Korea Tuesday proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North’s leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics. Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyang’s claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a “nuclear button” on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating […]

Pakistan summons US ambassador over Trump tweet

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AFP) – Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador, an embassy spokesman said Tuesday, a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over “lies” about militancy. Ambassador David Hale was asked to go to the foreign office in the Pakistani capital on Monday night, after Islamabad responded angrily to the US President’s allegations that it provided safe havens for militants in the latest spat to rock their alliance. […]

Winds seen as factor in Costa Rica plane crash that killed 12

PUNTA ISLITA, Costa Rica (AFP) — Strong winds were seen as a factor in the crash of a small plane in Costa Rica that killed all 10 US passengers on board and two local crew members, according to officials and witnesses. The accident, which occurred Sunday in the country’s northwestern Guanacaste region popular with tourists seeking pristine tropical beaches, killed all on board the small Cessna 208 Caravan owned and operated by domestic airline Nature […]

Kim vows North will mass-produce nukes but open to talks with Seoul

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un warned the United States Monday he has a “nuclear button” on his table but offered an apparent olive branch to South Korea in a New Year message, saying he was prepared for talks and may send a team to the Winter Olympics there. Kim struck a generally defiant note after a year of rising tensions marked by the North’s multiple missile launches and its […]

Putin calls for ‘pragmatic cooperation’ in New Year wishes to Trump

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — In a statement on the Russian president’s New Year wishes to world leaders, the Kremlin said Putin told Trump that “a constructive Russian-American dialogue is especially needed to strengthen strategic stability in the world”. According to the statement, Putin said that “mutual respect” should be “a base to develop relations” between the two countries. “This would allow us to move towards building pragmatic cooperation, orientated on the long term,” the statement […]