International

Rohingya man refugee again 40 years after leaving Bangladesh

by Alexandre Marchand Agence France-Presse KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh (AFP) – Nearly four decades ago Fazol Ahmed returned to his native Myanmar with his family under a Rohingya repatriation scheme. Now he is back in the teeming camps of Bangladesh with his wife and children, a refugee once again. Ahmed is among the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have crossed into Bangladesh since an upsurge in violence in neighboring Myanmar in August that the UN has said amounts […]

Xi declares ‘new era’ for China as party congress opens

by Laurent Thomet and Joanna Chiu Agence France-Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) – President Xi Jinping declared China is entering a “new era” of challenges and opportunities on Wednesday as he opened a Communist Party congress expected to enhance his already formidable power. Xi told some 2,300 delegates at the imposing Great Hall of the People that the party must “resolutely oppose” any actions that undermine its leadership as it steers a course through a high-stakes period in […]

Trump warns McCain: ‘I fight back, and it won’t be pretty’

by Jerome Cartillier Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US President Donald Trump reignited a long-standing feud with John McCain Tuesday, warning “I fight back, and it won’t be pretty” after the respected senator appeared to take aim at him in a speech. The relationship between the pair — one a veteran lawmaker and war hero, the other a real estate tycoon and political neophyte before he assumed the presidency — has long been testy. But […]

As Xi ascends, will economic reforms finally take off?

by Julien Girault Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — As Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for a second five-year term, foreign investors will be watching for any sign that he finally intends to follow through on long-promised reforms to further open the world’s second-largest economy. Xi is expected to signal his future economic policies when he opens a five-yearly Communist Party congress on Wednesday that will renew his tenure as general secretary. While he […]

Trump to meet Duterte on Asia trip dominated by N. Korea

by Jerome Cartillier Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump will meet several key Asian leaders next month, including Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, on a tour otherwise dominated by efforts to isolate North Korea. Trump’s first Asian tour as president will take him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, where he will attend the summit of ASEAN, the southeast Asian bloc. The United States has important trade […]

Three killed, 360,000 without power as freak storm hits Ireland

by Julien Lagache Agence France Presse DUBLIN, Ireland (AFP) — Ireland was hit by what officials called an “unprecedented storm” on Monday that left three people dead, more than 300,000 customers without power and shut down schools as well as government offices. A police spokesman said one woman in her 50s was killed outside the village of Aglish, near the south coast, when a tree fell on her car. A female passenger in her 70s […]

Iraqi forces seize Kirkuk governor’s office in push against Kurds

by Abdallah Ibrahim with Ammar Karim in Baghdad Agence France Presse KIRKUK, Iraq (AFP) — Iraqi forces seized the Kirkuk governor’s office, key military sites and an oil field on Monday as they swept across the disputed province following soaring tensions with Kurds over an independence referendum. The rapid advance, involving troops, tanks and armored vehicles, aims to recapture oil and military targets that Kurdish forces took over during the fightback against the Islamic State […]

US, Japan discuss trade, N. Korea ahead of Trump visit

WASHINGTON, United States (Reuters) — Vice President Mike Pence underscored U.S. support for Japan on the North Korea issue on Monday (October 16), as he met with Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso to try and find common ground on thorny trade issues, during their second round of bilateral economic talks in Washington. The U.S. delegation led by Pence has said his administration hopes the talks, which kicked off in April, will lead to negotiations on […]

Wildfires kill 39 in Portugal and Spain

by Bruno Cravo Agence France Presse VOUZELA, Portugal (AFP) — At least 36 people have died in fires ravaging forests in northern and central Portugal over the past 24 hours, rescuers said Monday, after three people were killed in Spain in blazes sparked by arsonists and fanned by Hurricane Ophelia. The 36 deaths, which were confirmed by Portugal’s national civil protection agency and included a one-month-old baby, come four months after 64 people were killed […]

Spain gives final call for Catalan independence decision

by Marianne Barriaux with Patrick Galey in Madrid Agence France Presse Madrid on Monday gave Catalonia’s separatist leader three more days to “return to legality” after he refused to say whether he would follow through on a threat to declare independence from Spain. Responding to an initial deadline set by the central government, Carles Puigdemont sent a letter early Monday calling for talks with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy “as soon as possible” amid Spain’s worst […]

30 killed as wildfires rage in Portugal and Spain

by Thomas Cabral Agence France Presse LISBON, Portugal (AFP) — At least 27 people have died in fires which have ravaged forests in northern and central Portugal over the past 24 hours, rescuers said Monday, as three people were killed in Spain in blazes sparked by arsonists and fanned by Hurricane Ophelia. In Portugal, Prime Minister Antonio Costa declared a state of emergency as more than 4,000 firefighters fought some 20 major fires still raging […]

Austria far-right eyes power in ‘whiz-kid’ government

by Nina Lamparski and Simon Sturdee Agence France Presse Austria’s far-right looked set Monday for a possible return to power in a coalition with conservative “whiz-kid” Sebastian Kurz, the world’s youngest leader-in-waiting, in a fresh triumph for European populists. Such a rightward shift in the wealthy European Union member state would pose a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Brexit and the rise of nationalists in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere. The People’s […]