SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has expressed “great satisfaction” after receiving a letter from US President Donald Trump ahead of a second summit between the two leaders, Pyongyang’s state media reported Thursday. Kim is making “good technical preparations” for the meeting, the official KCNA news agency said, in the isolated nation’s first comments on the talks scheduled for next month. The letter was handed to Kim by one of his […]
Other News
US university to cover Christopher Columbus murals
CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — The University of Notre Dame, one of the oldest and most prestigious US centers of higher learning, will cover murals depicting Christopher Columbus out of concern that the art works depict a skewed history of colonial America. Painted on the walls of the Catholic institution’s main building — a grand structure with a golden dome built in 1879 in the Midwestern state of Indiana — the 12 murals display various […]
Boeing flying car prototype completes first test flight
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Boeing said Wednesday its prototype “flying car” — part of a project aimed at “on-demand autonomous air transportation” — has completed its first successful test flight. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft said the test was carried out Tuesday outside the US capital Washington, the company said in a statement. Boeing is among a handful of companies in the United States and around the world — including Uber […]
Regional powers recognize Maduro opponent as interim leader
DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) — The United States, Canada and major South American nations recognized the head of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislature as the country’s interim leader on Wednesday, leaving President Nicolas Maduro increasingly isolated. Major regional players Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina all gave their backing to Juan Guaido’s self-proclamation as Venezuela’s acting president, which he made in front of crowd of tens of thousands of supporters in Caracas. Mexico, however, stood apart, saying it […]
Gunman kills five at US bank: police
MIAMI, United States (AFP) — A gunman killed at least five people on Wednesday at a bank in Sebring, Florida in the southern United States, police said. “We have at least five victims, people who were senselessly murdered,” Police Chief Karl Hoglund told a news conference. The alleged shooter, identified as a 21-year-old resident of Sebring, has been taken into custody, Hoglund said. Their motive was not immediately clear, and the investigation into the shooting […]
France sees Huawei ‘risks’ for 5G networks: foreign minister
PARIS, France (AFP) — French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Wednesday of “risks” in deploying next-generation 5G wireless networks using equipment from the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. “We are well aware of the risks… from Huawei’s position in major networks, the risks that could stem from Huawei’s extensive work on 5G,” Le Drian told a Senate panel in Paris. “The government will take all necessary measures at the proper time,” he said. France joins […]
Amazon rolls out ‘Scout’ delivery robots
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Amazon on Wednesday began putting cooler-sized robots to work delivering packages to customers in a neighborhood outside Seattle. Electric-powered, wheeled delivery vehicles named “Scout” were created by Amazon and guide themselves along sidewalks at a walking pace, according to Sean Scott, the vice president heading the project. Amazon becomes the latest entry to the market for robotic or autonomous delivery aimed at getting meals or other goods to customers […]
Erdogan and Putin vow closer cooperation on Syria at Moscow talks
by Maria PANINA Agence France Presse MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday vowed to coordinate their actions more closely in Syria. “Cooperation between Russia and Turkey is a touchstone for Syrian peace and stability,” Erdogan said in translated comments at a joint press conference after their talks, which lasted around three hours. “With our Russian friends, we intend to […]
Trump insists speech will be in Congress, Pelosi says no
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday rejected President Donald Trump’s insistence that he deliver his State of the Union speech next week in Congress, setting up an unsettling clash among Washington’s power elite. The spat about where the annual political set-piece will be staged is a sideshow to the struggle between the White House and Democrats in Congress over partial government shutdown now in its 33rd day. Traditionally the […]
Former top S. Korean judge arrested in power abuse probe
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — A former South Korean chief justice was arrested Thursday on allegations of abuse of power for allegedly meddling in trials to curry favour with now-ousted president Park Geun-hye. Yang Sung-tae was the presiding judge on the Supreme Court for six years until his retirement in 2017. The South’s politicians have long had legal troubles — all the country’s living ex-presidents are either currently in prison or have previously served jail […]
Eyeing Trump, wave of women join 2020 White House race
by Elodie CUZIN Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two years after Hillary Clinton failed in her historic bid for the White House, a record number of women are already racing to oust Donald Trump in 2020 — and are banking on American voters being ready this time around to help them smash the ultimate glass ceiling. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, 69, was the first well-known Democrat out of the starting blocks, […]
Three injured in QC fire
(Eagle News)—-Three people were hurt after a fire razed a residential area in Quezon City on Wednesday evening, Jan. 23. Those injured in the blaze in Barangay Roxas have yet to be identified. As of early Thursday, Jan. 24, firemen are still in the area. There are no details available at press time.





