International

Shooting erupts at US lawmakers baseball practice

By Thomas Watkins Agence France Presse ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — At least five people people including a top Republican congressman were wounded in a Washington suburb early Wednesday morning when a shooting erupted as they practiced for an annual baseball game between lawmakers. Senior congressman Steve Scalise was shot in the hip, according to fellow Republican lawmaker Mo Brooks who told CNN at least two law enforcement officers and one congressional staffer were also shot in […]

Video: London tower fire as of 2:43 a.m. (June 14) showing whole building already in flames

When Chris Davis woke up at his apartment in Ladbroke Grove, northwest of London, at 2:43 a.m., Wednesday (June 14, 2017), he looked outside his window and saw this — fire raging and eating up the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London. The fire reportedly started at around 1 a.m., with policemen receiving the first call at 00:54 am on Wednesday (2354 GMT Tuesday) and were on scene at the Grenfell Tower public housing complex within six […]

Trump ‘deeply saddened’ by shooting at congressional baseball practice

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump voiced sadness Wednesday after a shooting at a baseball practice in a Washington suburb left a top congressman and several other people wounded. “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” Trump said in a statement, adding that he was closely monitoring the developments in Alexandria, Virginia just outside the United States capital, where police have arrested the unidentified gunman. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the members […]

“Staggering” civilian deaths from U.S.-led air strikes in Raqqa, U.N. says

GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) — Intensified coalition air strikes supporting an assault by U.S.-backed forces on Islamic State’s stronghold of Raqqa in Syria are causing a “staggering loss of civilian life”, United Nations war crimes investigators said on Wednesday (June 14). The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group of Kurdish and Arab militias supported by a U.S.-led coalition, began to attack Raqqa a week ago to take it from the jihadists. The SDF, supported by heavy […]

Senior US congressman shot at Virginia baseball practice: lawmaker

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Senior Republican Congressman Steve Scalise was among several victims shot and wounded at a baseball practice ahead of an annual game between lawmakers in a Washington suburb, one of his colleagues said Thursday. Fellow Republican lawmaker Mo Brooks told CNN that Scalise was shot in the hip, adding that at least two law enforcement officers and one congressional staffer were shot in Alexandria, Virginia. Scalise, the majority whip who rallies […]

Night of horror in London as blaze traps tower dwellers

  by Alice Ritchie Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) People watched in horror as neighbours found themselves trapped or in desperation leapt to their doom as flames raced through the stricken Grenfell Tower. The last time Hanan Wahabi saw her brother was when he and his family waved to her from their home in an upper floor after she had safely left the blazing building. Wahabi, 39, who lives on the ninth floor […]

UPDATED: At least 6 confirmed dead in London tower fire, at least 74 hospitalized

Six people were confirmed dead in a massive fire that engulfed a London tower block before dawn on Wednesday and the number is expected to rise, police said. “I can confirm six fatalities at this time but this figure is likely to rise during what will be a complex recovery operation over a number of days,” police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement. London’s fire commissioner earlier said there have been some fatalities in the […]

Energy market seen as vulnerable to prolonged Gulf crisis

by Omar Hasan Agence France Presse KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) — While the Gulf’s bitter diplomatic crisis is unlikely to affect energy prices in the short term, a prolonged rift that disrupts Qatar’s gas supplies could send prices soaring, analysts say. With rising United States shale oil output driving a global supply glut, the decision by Saudi Arabia and its allies earlier this month to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar provided only a fleeting boost […]

‘A lot of people’ unaccounted for after tower blaze: London mayor

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A lot of people” are still unaccounted for after a massive blaze in a London tower block, and fire crews only managed to reach the 12th floor at the height of the fire, mayor Sadiq Khan said on Wednesday. “A lot of people are unaccounted for. Some of them could have found safe refuges in the homes of their neighbours or their friends,” Khan told Sky News television as smoke […]

6.6-magnitude earthquake rattles Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (AFP) — A 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit western Guatemala near the Mexico border early on Wednesday, shaking several cities and injuring one person according to preliminary reports, officials said. No tsunami warnings have been issued so far. The quake was registered at 1:29 am local time (0729 GMT), its epicenter around 156 kilometers (97 miles) west of Guatemala City in the department of San Marcos, the Institute of Seismology said. The United States […]

Driven to distraction: Pyongyang’s ‘traffic ladies’

by Sebastien Berger Agence France Presse PYONGYANG, North Korea (AFP) — Snapping their heads from side to side, marching into the roads in close-fitting blue uniforms and black heels, the “traffic ladies” who marshal vehicles at the intersections of Pyongyang are an emblematic image of the North Korean capital. Officially known as traffic security officers but universally referred to as traffic ladies, they are chosen for their looks in a society that remains traditionalist in many […]

Trump to roll back some of Obama’s Cuban outreach

by Jerome Cartillier Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump has vowed to revisit all of his predecessor’s diplomatic successes and failures, but is he ready to slam the door on Cuba? On Friday, he is expected to unveil a new policy on relations with Cuba after Barack Obama painstakingly restored ties with the communist-run island. Although many Americans support the decision and the US business community has welcomed moves […]