International

Obama touts legacy in last State of the Union

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday (January 12) gave his final State of the Union address, stopping about a dozen times for applause as he touted some of the themes he hoped will become his legacy. “Tonight, I want to go easy on the traditional list of proposals for the year ahead. Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty – from helping students learn to write computer code, to personalizing medical treatments for patients. And I’ll keep […]

Obama says the nation must transition to cleaner sources of energy

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday (January 11) said the United States must transition away from dirty energy and stop subsidizing fuels of the past. “Even if the planet wasn’t at stake; even if 2014 wasn’t the warmest year on record — until 2015 turned out even hotter — why would we want to pass up the chance for American businesses to produce and sell the energy of the future,” Obama said in his State […]

Brazilian protesters clash with police over increasing transport fares

Brazilian riot police on Tuesday (January 12) fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse further protests over a rise in public transport fares in the country’s largest city, Sao Paulo. Local media reported that some protesters threw stones and rocks at the police. Student protester, Heber Velozo, who suffered head injuries in the clashes, said the police were attacking peaceful demonstrators. “The police do not know how to work, they are not prepared. We […]

Iran holds 10 U.S. sailors; U.S. officials expect prompt return

Ten sailors aboard two U.S. Navy boats were seized by Iran in the Gulf on Tuesday (January 12), and Tehran told the United States the crew members would be promptly returned, U.S. officials said. A senior U.S. defense official said the U.S. had lost contact earlier in the day with two small craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain. U.S. officials told Reuters it was unclear how or if the boats became disabled. Iranian Foreign […]

Immigration, wages, Islamic State main themes in Obama’s last State of the Union address

U.S. President Barack Obama was set on Tuesday (January 12) to deliver his final State of the Union address to a joint meeting of Congress. He was expected to speak optimistically about America’s future, one of his few remaining chances to capture and hold the attention of millions of Americans before the November 8 election of a new president who will take office next January. Obama’s speech is expected to stick to themes he hopes […]

Bush, Trump react to Iran seizing US sailors

U.S. Republican presidential candidates reacted on Tuesday (January 12) to reports Iran detained 10 U.S. sailors who were traveling from Kuwait to Bahrain. Plans are in place for Iran to return the sailors to a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters early Wednesday (January 13), a U.S. defense official said late Tuesday. Republican front-runner Donald Trump said the sailors’ capture was an indictment on the state of U.S. policies. “They said they’re going to release […]

Iran seizes two U.S.Navy boats, holds 10 sailors

The U.S. Department of Defense released video showing the type of U.S. Navy boats seized by Iran just hours before President Barack Obama was due to deliver his last State of the Union address. The U.S. believed that the 10 U.S. sailors being held in Iran will likely not be allowed to leave Tuesday (January 12) night, given the late hour, two U.S. officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Earlier, U.S. defense officials […]

President Obama gets ready for his final State of the Union address

President Barack Obama made a brief appearance on Facebook on Tuesday (January 12) as he finalized the text of his last State of the Union address. The president, sitting at his desk, said he was making last minute changes and added touches to his speech. “There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done,” Obama said, adding that he wanted to make sure that the American people understood his proposals. “We’ve got some […]

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi, ethnic armed groups gather for peace talks

Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said on Tuesday (January 12) her government is ready to build ‘forever peace’ within the country as she was attending a peace summit in the in the country’s administrative capital, Naypyitaw. Hundreds of representatives of ethnic armed groups, the military and lawmakers gathered for talks that are expected to last until the end of the week, over a ceasefire to end insurgencies that have plagued the country for decades. […]

Indonesian radical Muslim cleric appeals to reduce jail term

Indonesia’s radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir appealed to reduce 15-year jail term on Tuesday (January 12), pledging no wrongdoings on all allegation. The 78-year-old, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2011, attended the hearing in Cilacap district court in central Java province, the town near notorious prison island Nusa Kambangan where Bashir is jailed. Supporters of Bashir cheered as he walked to the court room escorted by heavy police forces. This […]

Taiwan’s likely first woman president keeps cards close on China game plan

Taiwan’s elections are just days away with little clarity about how a likely win by a party that traditionally favours independence from China will go down with a neighbour that has threatened force to ensure the island never goes it alone. Taiwan votes in a new president and parliament on January 16 when the ruling Nationalists (KMT) are expected to be soundly beaten by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), supported by youthful voters angered by […]

Asia stocks wary as China concerns remain

Asian stocks held near four-year lows and crude oil prices approached a 20 percent drop in less than two weeks as investors worried over the extent of China’s economic slowdown and its impact on emerging markets. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged 0.4 percent higher but still stood near a four-year low touched on Monday, and was still down more than 8 percent since the start of 2016. It fell 12 percent […]