International

Trump says it is time to end Syria’s ‘brutal civil war’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump told allies it was time to end Syria’s “brutal” civil war Wednesday, as he branded the country’s leader Bashar al-Assad a “butcher” and questioned Russia’s role in a suspected chemical attack. Trump, standing alongside North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, called on allies to “work together to resolve the disaster” in Syria and thanked them for condemning Assad’s suspected sarin attack in Khan […]

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United Airlines CEO won’t resign

By John BIERS Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States — United Continental chief executive officer Oscar Muñoz said Wednesday he will not resign and again apologized for the removal of a customer from an overbooked flight by force — an incident that drew global scorn. “I was hired to make United better and we’ve been doing that and that’s what I’ll continue to do,” Muñoz said, when asked about calls for his resignation as leader […]

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US wants to get past rift with Russia amid Syria impasse

By Andrew Beatty, with Dave Clark in Moscow Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States — The United States wants to improve ties with Russia from their current “all-time low” over Syria, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, as Moscow dug in to defend its ally in Damascus. Standing side-by-side with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House, Trump said: “It would be wonderful… if NATO and our country could get along […]

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Trump sees global gains from “chemistry” with China’s Xi

By Andrew Beatty Agence France Presse Washington, United States — United States President Donald Trump waxed lyrical about his good “chemistry” and “bonding” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Wednesday — a rhetorical U-turn which the White House believes is already paying dividends. Putting harsh campaign rhetoric about China’s “rape” of the US economy in the rear-view mirror, Trump went out of his way to praise Xi for help on North Korea and Syria. Trump hosted China’s […]

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Two billion people drinking contaminated water: WHO

Geneva, Switzerland (AFP) — Dramatic improvements are needed in ensuring access to clean water and sanitation worldwide, the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning that nearly two billion people currently use faecal-contaminated water. Hundreds of thousands of people die each year because they are forced to drink contaminated water, the WHO said, urging large investments to help provide universal access to safe drinking water. “Today, almost two billion people use a source of drinking-water contaminated with […]

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Iran’s Ahmadinejad registers to run for president

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran’s former hard-line President Mahmud Ahmadinejad took the surprise move on Wednesday of registering for next month’s presidential election, state media reported. Ahmadinejad had previously said he would not run after being advised by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said he would instead support his former deputy Hamid Baghaie who also registered on Wednesday.  

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Tillerson wants “very open, candid and frank” talks with Lavrov

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday  that he wanted a frank exchange on the countries’ relations. “I look forward to a very open, candid and frank exchange so we can better define the US-Russian relationship from this point forward,” Tillerson said as he met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks in Moscow. Tillerson’s visit was the first visit to Russia by a senior member of United States President Donald […]

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Xi urges peaceful resolution of N. Korea tensions in Trump call

by Becky Davis Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve surging tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program, as the United States president touts the power of a naval “armada” sent to counter fresh provocations by Pyongyang. Trump said Tuesday that the US was ready to solve the North Korean “problem” without China if necessary, as he and Pyongyang engage in tit-for-tat saber-rattling that has […]

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United finally apologizes as image takes beating

by Nova SAFO / With Luc Olinga in New York Agence France-Presse CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — The chief executive of embattled United Airlines unequivocally apologized Tuesday for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, promising a thorough review of the airline’s practices. The apology came amid a torrent of criticism of the carrier’s actions on a Sunday flight and its initial explanations. In images now seen worldwide, a passenger was […]

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Cherry blossom season in Japan

    Among the must see spots during this Sakura or commonly known as Cherry blossom season in Tokyo Japan, is a place called Chidorigafuchi park. Located in the northwest of the Imperial Palace. It is a historic moat which was constructed during the early Edo Period. From late March to early April, the 700m-long pedestrian path will be covered with the blossoms of cherry trees of different species. This spot for cherry blossom viewing […]

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Putin warns of chemical weapons ‘provocations’ to frame Assad

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday warned of future chemical weapons “provocations” in Syria to frame President Bashar al-Assad, just as Washington’s top diplomat arrived for talks in Moscow. “We have information from various sources that such provocations — I cannot call them otherwise — are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern outskirts of Damascus, where they are again planning to throw some kind of substance […]

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United CEO apologizes, promises ‘thorough review’

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — The chief executive of embattled United Airlines unequivocally apologized Tuesday for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, and promised a “thorough review” of the airline’s practices. The apology came after mounting criticism of the carrier’s actions stemming from a Sunday flight, when a passenger was dragged off a plane and bloodied in the process. The US Department of Transportation promised to investigate the incident. “I […]

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