International
German-Iranian gunman kills nine in Munich, then himself: police
(REUTERS) An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days. As authorities sought to piece together the circumstances of an attack behind which they had found no immediate evidence of an Islamist motive, Munich police said they would hold a 0930 GMT (5.30 am ET) news […]
12 candidates for UN chief to be informed of straw poll results: Security Council president
CCTV — The president of the United Nations (UN) Security Council told reporters Thursday that all the 12 announced candidates for the post of UN chief will be informed of the outcome of the first round of a secret straw poll by the 15-nation council. Ambassador Koro Bossho of Japan, this month’s president of the Security Council, made the statement less than two hours after the polling started at 10:00 at the UN headquarters, New […]
Twitter reaction to Trump acceptance speech
CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — The following is a selection of reaction on Twitter to New York billionaire Donald Trump’s speech on Thursday accepting the Republican Party nomination for president: Bernie Sanders, former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination @BernieSanders Trump: “I alone can fix this.” Is this guy running for president or dictator? Laura Ingraham, conservative host of the Laura Ingraham Show @IngrahamAngle This is @realDonaldTrump broadening the base of the GOP. The inner […]
Vote Trump for equal pay and childcare, says Ivanka
by Jennie MATTHEW CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Ivanka Trump stepped out as a potent surrogate for her father on Thursday promising he would be a compassionate leader who would fight for women’s rights and affordable childcare. The 34-year-old businesswoman and mother of three, a loyal fixture on her dad’s campaign trail, introduced the 70-year-old mogul as he accepted the Republican nomination for president that few imagined ever possible. “My father not only has the […]
We are better than this,’ Clinton tweets at Trump
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Hillary Clinton fired off a icy rebuke Thursday to her rival Donald Trump after he savaged her record upon accepting the Republican nomination for president, telling him: “We are better than this.” Clinton’s one-line tweet came midway through a sweeping acceptance speech in which Trump attacked the Democratic former secretary of state for a legacy of “death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.” © 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse
Divide and rule by Beijing throws ASEAN into disarray
by Martin ABBUGAO Jerome TAYLOR VIENTIANE, Laos (AFP) — Southeast Asian nations are in unparalleled disarray over Beijing’s sabre-rattling in the South China Sea, analysts and insiders say, with the fractures set to deepen as staunch China ally Laos hosts top regional diplomats this weekend. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are among the delegates due to fly in from Sunday for two days of meetings in Vientiane, the […]
Trump says ‘American people will come first’ under his presidency
CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Republican nominee for US president Donald Trump told party delegates Thursday that his foreign policy would put Americans first if he is elected to the White House in November. “The most important difference between our plan and that of our opponents, is that our plan will put America First. Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo,” he said. “The American people will come first once again,” he said. © 1994-2016 […]
China backs Philippine’s controversial drug war
China has offered its support to the Philippine’s controversial drug crackdown pushed by new President Rodrigo Duterte, which has been slammed by rights groups for encouraging extrajudicial killings and vigilante justice. “China fully understands that the Philippine government under the leadership of Rodrigo Duterte has taken it as a top priority in cracking down (on) drug-related crimes,” China’s embassy in Manila said in a statement issued Tuesday. “China has expressed explicitly to the new administration […]
Canada military to deploy 60 medical personnel to Iraq
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada said Thursday its military is set to deploy up to 60 medical staff to Iraq to run a field hospital for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group. “As part of our ongoing commitment, Canada will soon deploy up to 60 medical personnel who will be leading a medical facility alongside coalition partners in northern Iraq,” Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement following a meeting in Washington […]
Trump promises his presidency will bring ‘safety’
by Andrew BEATTY CLEVELAND, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump will promise fearful Americans that “safety will be restored” if he is elected president, as he accepts the Republican Party’s White House nomination Thursday. “I have a message for all of you: The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end,” Trump will say, according to prepared remarks. In a speech that evokes recent racially-tinged shootings and seemingly indiscriminate […]
Olympics: Russia anger after Rio ban appeal rejected
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) – by Agnès Pedrero in Lausanne and Ben Simon in Geneva The international sports tribunal on Thursday rejected an appeal by Russian athletes against a Rio Olympics ban amid mounting pressure for action over state-run doping in Russia. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling on track and field is seen as a key indicator as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) debates whether to order a blanket ban on Russia from the Rio […]
