International

China, Philippines vow ‘friendly’ handling of maritime spats

  Beijing and Manila on Wednesday vowed to resolve maritime disagreements through consultation, during a visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos to the Chinese capital amid heightened tensions over the hotly disputed South China Sea. Marcos and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping both called for “friendly consultation to appropriately resolve maritime issues,” at a meeting on Wednesday, China’s state-owned broadcaster CCTV said. China and the Philippines are at odds over the South China Sea, with Beijing […]

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Fears for French baguettes as power prices burn bakers

by Adam PLOWRIGHT — Recently described as “250 grams of magic and perfection” by President Emmanuel Macron, the French baguette is at risk from surging energy prices, with some bakers warning they can no longer afford to fire up their ovens. Already struggling with sharp hikes in the price of butter, flour and sugar over the last year and a half, the prized industry is now alarmed by astronomical electricity bills looming in 2023. “It […]

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Philippines’ Marcos vows to ‘strengthen’ China ties on Beijing trip

Beijing, China (AFP) Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said Wednesday he hoped to strengthen ties with Beijing on his first state visit to China since taking office. China and the Philippines are at odds over the hotly disputed South China Sea, with Marcos expected to sign a deal in Beijing this week to establish direct communication on maritime issues. Manila considers it “of primary importance to… strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines”, Marcos said […]

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Myanmar junta marks Independence Day with show of force, mass pardons

NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar (AFP) — Myanmar’s junta announced an amnesty for 7,000 prisoners to mark Independence Day on Wednesday following a show of force in the capital, days after increasing democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi’s jail term to 33 years. Swaths of the Southeast Asian country have been engulfed by fighting between junta troops and anti-coup rebels since the military seized power almost two years ago. The junta, which recently wrapped up a series of […]

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Biden to receive Japan’s PM Kishida on Jan. 13: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US President Joe Biden will host Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on January 13, the White House announced Tuesday. “President Biden looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan to the White House on Friday, January 13th to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people,” the White House said in a statement. The two leaders will talk about ways to address climate change as well as […]

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Egyptians hit by soaring food prices as crisis bites

CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) – Public anger has been growing for months in Egypt over a severe dollar crunch and soaring food prices. But for many a money-saving tip from a state body has been the last straw. As families have struggled to purchase household staples, an Egyptian government agency praised an alternative, cheap protein source — “chicken feet, good for the body and the budget”. The advice drew widespread scorn on social media while lawmaker Karim al-Sadat […]

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Venezuela receives first European cruise ship in 15 years

PORLAMAR, Venezuela (AFP) – Venezuela on Tuesday received its first European cruise ship in 15 years after long being avoided by tourists due to high levels of insecurity and economic turmoil. The Bahamas-flagged “Amadea” docked at the Caribbean island of Margarita with almost 500 passengers — mainly from Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland — on board. “For many years Venezuela was off the radar of cruise ships,” said Tourism Minister Ali Padron, as he welcomed […]

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Russia says toll from Ukraine strike rises to 89

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — The toll from a Ukrainian New Year strike in Makiivka has risen to 89, Moscow said Wednesday, after Russians gathered to mourn the troops in a rare public display of anger and grief. Russia said in the early hours of Wednesday that more bodies had been found under the rubble in the town of Makiivka in the Russian-controlled region of Donetsk and the toll had risen to 89. The defense ministry […]

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Chaos as US House adjourns without choosing speaker

by Frankie TAGGART Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The new US Congress was plunged into disarray Tuesday as renegade right-wing Republicans blocked favorite Kevin McCarthy from becoming speaker of the House of Representatives in a series of humiliating votes seen as a rebuke to the party establishment. The California congressman needed a simple majority to be elected as Washington’s top legislator, who presides over House business and is second in line to the […]

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Seoul says talks underway over joint nuclear exercises

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Seoul and Washington are discussing joint planning and exercises involving US nuclear assets to counter growing threats from the North, South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday, after US President Joe Biden said there would be no such joint drills. The statement was released after Biden said the United States was not discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea, seemingly contradicting comments by Seoul’s President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier this week. The […]

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Seven killed as Mexican police seek escaped prisoners

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Seven people were killed Monday in northern Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez during a police operation to recapture prisoners who escaped after an attack at their facility, state authorities announced. Gunmen attacked the border city’s state prison on Sunday at dawn, leaving nearly 20 people dead and allowing the prisoners, which include a gang leader, to flee. Monday’s deaths — two agents from the state prosecutor’s office and five alleged criminals — […]

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Tesla posts disappointing deliveries for 2022

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – Tesla said Monday it had delivered 1.31 million electric vehicles in 2022 — a record for the US automaker and a 40 percent jump from a year before, but still short of its own and Wall Street’s expectations. The Elon Musk-led company has set a long-term goal of increasing its deliveries by 50 percent a year on average. Tesla regularly says the objective may fluctuate based on operations and in […]

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