Other News

Football: Italy miss out on World Cup as Sweden qualify

by Emmeline Moore Agence France-Presse MILAN, Italy (AFP) — Italy failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958 on Monday as they were held to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their play-off at the San Siro by Sweden, who qualified with a 1-0 aggregate victory. The four-time champions dominated possession but struggled to create enough clear-cut chances, as Sweden secured a first appearance at the finals since 2006 courtesy of […]

North Korea at UN warns US carriers are fueling tensions

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — North Korea warned at the United Nations Monday that the deployment of three US aircraft carriers in joint navy drills with South Korea was fueling tensions that could lead to nuclear war. North Korea’s Ambassador Ja Song Nam said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that this was “the worst ever situation prevailing in and around the Korean peninsula.” The first such deployment of three US carriers […]

Bill Gates giving $50 million for Alzheimer’s research

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced Monday that he is investing $50 million to fund research into treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Gates, in an entry on his blog, said he was making the investment from his personal fortune and not with his charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Of all the disorders that plague us late in life, one stands out as a particularly big threat to society: Alzheimer’s disease,” Gates […]

High blood pressure is redefined as 130, not 140: US guidelines

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — High blood pressure was redefined Monday by the American Heart Association, which said the disease should be treated sooner, when it reaches 130/80, not the previous limit of 140/90. “High blood pressure is now defined as readings of 130 mm Hg and higher for the systolic blood pressure measurement, or readings of 80 and higher for the diastolic measurement,” said the guidelines. Doctors now recognize that complications “can occur […]

Saudi coalition refuses to re-open key Yemen port

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The Saudi-led coalition will take steps in the coming 24 hours to ease the blockade on Yemen — but will not reopen a key rebel-held port to aid shipments unless tighter inspections are put in place, Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador said Monday. The coalition fighting rebels in Yemen shut down the country’s land, sea and air borders a week ago in response to a missile attack by the Iran-backed […]

Iran hunts for survivors as quake kills 400 near Iraq border

by Siavosh Ghazi with Shwan Mohammed in Darbandikhan, Iraq Agence France Presse TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Teams of Iranian rescuers dug through rubble in a hunt for survivors Monday after a major earthquake struck the Iran-Iraq border, killing at least 421 people and injuring thousands. The 7.3-magnitude quake rocked a border area 30 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan at around 9:20 pm (1820 GMT) on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said. […]

Putin and Erdogan agree on need to boost efforts for Syria peace

SOCHI, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed Monday on the need to boost efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in Syria. Despite being on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict, Russia and Turkey have been working together since a 2016 reconciliation deal ended a crisis caused by the shooting down of a Russian warplane. During four hours of talks at the Black Sea resort of […]

Polish leaders condemn ‘xenophobia’ after huge far-right march

WARSAW, Poland (AFP) — Poland’s right-wing leaders on Monday spoke out against xenophobia after a controversial Independence Day march organised by far-right groups. Having started small in 2009, the annual event attracted a large following this year, with police estimating the crowd on Saturday in Warsaw at around 60,000. While many marchers denied membership of or sympathy for extreme right groups, the event also drew representatives of far-right parties from Britain, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia, among others. […]

Japan vows deeper cooperation to build a stronger ASEAN; asks region to put pressure on N. Korea

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to deepen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in various areas such as maritime security, defense, trade, infrastructure development, combating terrorism, disaster risk reduction and cultural exchanges. Abe made the commitment during the 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday, November 13. He also asked the ASEAN to apply more pressure on North Korea for it to […]

China’s Premier says peace and friendly relations is what China and ASEAN both want

(Eagle News) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed China’s commitment to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying that China as well as the ASEAN want to promote peace, solidarity in a region once marked by uncertainty. The South China Sea issue was not specifically raised in Li’s remarks, but he stressed that what his country wants with the ASEAN is “friendly relations” as well as a “strategic partnership.” -Divide bridged by […]

UPDATED: ASEAN, China agree to start talks on Code of Conduct in S. China Sea

(Eagle News) — Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China have agreed to start talks on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea based on the Framework approved by the foreign ministers in August. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar said this was announced by both sides in their statements delivered during the ASEAN-China Summit on Monday. The summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center was attended by Chinese Premier Li […]