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WASHINGTON, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Top US diplomat Antony Blinken will begin a new Middle East trip this week, a spokesperson announced Tuesday, as President Joe Biden seeks “urgent mechanisms” to reduce regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. “Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel on Friday for meetings with members of the Israeli government, and then will make other stops in the region,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, without further details. The White […]
By Mai YAGHI with Rosie Scammell in Jerusalem RAFAH, Palestinian Territories, Nov 2, 2023 (AFP) – Israel hit Gaza’s largest refugee camp with renewed air strikes Wednesday, prompting UN rights officials to warn that targeting densely populated residential areas “could amount to war crimes.” Bombs struck the Jabalia camp for a second time in two days, pulverising buildings and, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, killing dozens of people. AFP witnessed extensive damage at the […]
By Jurgen HECKER with Clarisse LUCAS in Rennes, and AFP bureaus PARIS, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Much of northwestern Europe went on high alert Wednesday as a storm dubbed Ciaran threatened to bring gale-force winds and extreme rainfall to the region. Three French departments — Finistere, Cotes-d’Armor and Manche — will be placed on red storm alert, the highest level, at midnight (2300 GMT), national weather agency Meteo-France said. Meteorologists warned that the Ile-de-France […]
By Sharon MARRIS SYDNEY, Nov 2, 2023 (AFP) – Australian police on Thursday arrested the woman at the centre of a mushroom meal mystery that left three people dead and a local preacher fighting for his life. The arrest of Erin Patterson, 49, is the latest twist in a saga that has gripped the nation and thrust the spotlight on the small rural town of Leongatha, 110 kilometres (70 miles) southeast of Melbourne. Detective Inspector […]
TOKYO, Nov 2, 2023 (AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Thursday a stimulus package worth $113 billion aimed at easing the pain from inflation. Voters in the world’s third-largest economy have been squeezed by rising prices since the Ukraine war while Kishida’s poll ratings are at their lowest since taking office in 2021. “This package… is expected to total in the lower range of the 17 trillion yen ($113.2 billion) level,” Kishida […]
MOSCOW, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for officials to act on high inflation, as he warned the economy faced increased pressure from Western sanctions. Inflation has remained stubbornly high in Russia, ticking upwards as the economy grapples with a weaker ruble and rising military spending on the offensive in Ukraine. “I once again draw the attention of the government and the Bank of Russia to the importance of […]
TOKYO, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Japanese police on Wednesday were probing the motives of an 86-year-old who took two women hostage in a post office after reportedly first setting his home on fire and shooting into a hospital. Two people were wounded at the hospital in Saitama, outside Tokyo, while the two hostages were unharmed after an eight-hour ordeal at the hands of the irate and armed pensioner on Tuesday. Media reports said Tsuneo […]
KUPANG, Indonesia, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – A 6.1-magnitude quake hit the eastern Indonesia island of Timor on Thursday, shaking the provincial capital and forcing residents to run outside, US seismologists said. The quake struck at a depth of 36.1 kilometres (22.5 miles) on the west of Timor island near the city of Kupang, according to the US Geological Survey. Indonesia’s geophysics agency, or BMKG, said the quake had a higher magnitude of 6.6. The […]
SEOUL, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – North Korea has provided Russia with over one million artillery rounds to use in its war with Ukraine with Pyongyang appearing to receive advice on satellite technology in return, a South Korean lawmaker said Wednesday, citing Seoul’s spy agency. Russia and North Korea, who are historic allies, are both under a raft of global sanctions — Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, and Pyongyang for its testing of nuclear […]
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday announced it will buy Comcast’s $8.6 billion stake in Hulu, completing its takeover of the streaming service. The acquisition will “further Disney’s streaming objectives,” the company said in a press release, and comes as it strives to boost subscriber numbers at its Disney+ streaming service. The deal values Hulu at $27.5 billion in total, according to Disney, which said the transaction will […]
By Chris Lefkow WASHINGTON, Oct 31, 2023 (AFP) – The Israel-Hamas war has heightened the threat of attacks in the United States, raising particular concerns for the Jewish and Muslim communities, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Tuesday. “We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since (the Islamic State group) launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” Wray told the Senate […]
HANOI, November 1, 2023 (AFP) – Three people died after days of heavy rain in central and north Vietnam that flooded homes and submerged roads, disaster management authorities said Tuesday. Access to several communities in central Ha Tinh province has been cut off, while the police and military have been mobilised to rescue people from high-risk areas. A woman and a 13-year-old boy were found dead in the province after being swept away by strong […]
