International

Trump focused on ‘strong’ fundamentals amid market sell-off

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House said Monday that President Donald Trump was focused on the long-term health of the economy, claiming the fundamentals were “exceptionally strong,” despite a strong market sell-off. Wall Street stocks endured a brutal first session of the week, with the Dow seeing its steepest ever one-day point drop, wiping 4.6 percent off the value of America’s 30 largest companies. “The president’s focus is on our long-term economic fundamentals, […]

US, Russia clash at UN over Syria chlorine attacks

by Carole LANDRY Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States and Russia clashed at the UN Security Council on Monday over a push by Washington to condemn reported chlorine gas attacks in Syria that have left many injured in recent days, including children. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that there was “obvious evidence from dozens of victims” to corroborate the chlorine attacks in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta. “Now we […]

US won’t rule out Olympics talks with North Korea

LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Vice President Mike Pence or other US officials might meet with North Koreans at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday. Washington has previously said it won’t seek to initiate contact with North Koreans attending the South Korean games, but it does want talks with Kim Jong-Un in an effort to get him to abandon his nuclear program. Asked during a visit to Peru […]

Syria raids kill nearly 30, as war of words escalates over chlorine use

by Abdulmonam Eassa Agence France-Presse ARBIN, Syria – Regime bombardment killed nearly 30 people in a rebel enclave near Damascus on Monday, as Syria’s seven-year conflict left civilians paying a heavy price. Residents across several Syrian battlefronts have reported escalating bombardment and have accused Syrian troops of deploying toxic chemicals against rebel-held zones. The United States on Monday said there was “obvious evidence” of multiple chlorine gas attacks in recent weeks, including in the opposition-held enclave of Eastern […]

EU negotiator warns Britain: time to choose Brexit future

by Alice RITCHIE Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom – EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned Monday that Britain faced “unavoidable” trade barriers after Brexit if it also quit the bloc’s single market and customs union, urging Prime Minister Theresa May to make her choice. After talks with May and Brexit minister David Davis in London, Barnier repeated that the EU needed “clarity” on what they wanted from the future relationship. “Without customs union and outside the single market, […]

Maldives president declares emergency, former leader arrested

MALÉ, Maldives (AFP) – Maldives President Abdulla Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency in the honeymoon islands on Monday, before heavily armed troops stormed the country’s top court and a former president was arrested in a deepening political crisis. The tiny tourist archipelago has been plunged into chaos recently, with the president pitted against the Supreme Court after he refused to comply with its Thursday order to release nine political dissidents. The tense standoff comes amid a years-long […]

Disgraced USA Gymnastics doc sentenced to another 40-125 years

by with Nova SAFO in Chicago / Rena LAVERTY Agence France-Presse CHARLOTTE, United States – Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused girls and young women for decades under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced Monday to an additional 40 to 125 years in prison. Nassar already faced a lifetime behind bars for two prior sentences after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting women and girls in his role as a high-profile sports medicine […]

Nassar hearing halted as father lunges at disgraced doctor who abused at least 265 female athletes

https://youtu.be/IAFzWERy5So   by Nova Safo Agence France Presse CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — A father whose three daughters say they were sexually abused by Larry Nassar lunged at the disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor in a Michigan courtroom Friday, bringing his sentencing hearing to an abrupt halt while order was restored. The disruption came on the last day of victim impact statements before Nassar — already condemned to spend dozens of years behind bars on […]

Moscow authorities struggle to clear record snowfall

  MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Moscow authorities battled to clear streets and told children they could skip school, and scores of flights were delayed as the city was blanketed by its heaviest snowfall in 100 years. The city hall said that 44 centimeters (17 inches) of snow had fallen between Saturday and Monday morning, or 20 percent more than the average for the whole month. Up to 20 centimetres more was expected to fall on […]

Japan protests unified Korea Olympic flag with disputed isles

  TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan said Monday it had lodged a protest with South Korea over the “unacceptable” use of a unified Korean Olympic flag that features a set of disputed islands. The two Koreas have agreed to march together under the unification flag — a pale blue silhouette of the peninsula — at the Games’ opening ceremony on February 9, and to form a combined women’s ice hockey team. The flag shows a […]

Singapore to amend law after ‘showbiz pastor’ case

SINGAPORE (AFP) — Singapore will amend a law that allowed a megachurch pastor to escape a harsher prison term for fraud despite funnelling millions in church funds into his wife’s music career, a senior official said Monday, following a public backlash. In a case that fascinated Singapore with a heady mix of religion, showbiz and fraud, Kong Hee and five other church leaders were convicted in 2015 of spending Sg$24 million ($19.8 million) from a […]

Maldives opposition urges global community to help end crisis

MALÉ, Maldives (AFP) – Opposition leaders in the Maldives urged the international community Monday to pressure President Abdulla Yameen into obeying a court order to free political prisoners and “restore democracy” to the troubled honeymoon islands. Yameen’s regime has so far refused to release nine jailed dissidents and reinstate opposition lawmakers as ordered by the Maldives’ top court in a shock ruling last week that has deepened turmoil in the atoll nation. The Supreme Court on Sunday […]