A senior Chinese diplomat said on Monday that the South China Sea is not on the agenda and should not be discussed at a major summit between Asian and European leaders in Mongolia at the end of the week.
Other News
Pokemon Go mania drives players into wild outdoors
by Glenn CHAPMAN SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Pokemon Go mania has quickly swept the US as players armed with smartphones hunt streets, parks, rivers and elsewhere to capture monsters and gather supplies in the hit game. The free application based on a Nintendo title that debuted 20 years ago has been adapted to the mobile internet age by Niantic Labs, a company spun out of Google last year after breaking ground with Ingress, […]
Conservative power broker say no to Trump
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Conservative billionaire power broker Charles Koch said Monday he is not backing Donald Trump, claiming the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s principles are “antithetical” to his. In an interview at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado, Koch spoke about Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, saying: “I see two people that as of this point we’re not supporting.” “If I had to vote for cancer or a heart […]
NBA: Warriors’ Green arrested for minor assault – report
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, who is expected to represent the United States in the Rio Olympics, has been arrested for an alleged misdemeanor assault. According to court documents obtained by ESPN, the 26-year-old Green was detained on Sunday in East Lansing, Michigan where he played four seasons of college basketball. Police said that Green was arrested on a misdemeanor assault and battery charge in the early morning […]
NBA: Five-time champ Duncan retires after 19 glorious seasons
by Greg Heakes LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — San Antonio Spurs star power forward Tim Duncan, one of the best players in NBA history, announced his retirement Monday, ending a brilliant 19-season career that included five league titles. The 40-year-old Duncan, who was selected as the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, spent his entire career with the Spurs — an anomaly in a league where players often change teams. The Spurs […]
Aerosmith’s Joe Perry collapses in concert
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Aerosmith’s hard-rocking guitarist Joe Perry collapsed during a concert in New York but was said Monday to be recovering. Perry was performing Sunday night with his side project Hollywood Vampires, which features glam metal pioneer Alice Cooper on vocals and Hollywood star Johnny Depp as a fellow guitarist. A video posted on social media by a fan showed Perry slow down and sit on the edge of the drum […]
Theresa May to become Britain’s next PM Wednesday
by Katherine HADDON LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Theresa May on Wednesday will become the prime minister who leads Britain into talks to quit the European Union, after her last rival in the bid to succeed David Cameron pulled out. May became the only contender after Andrea Leadsom — who had stirred a storm for suggesting she was more qualified to be premier because she had children — abruptly quit the race on Monday. Cameron […]
China urged to #CHexit from South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — It is time for China to do a #CHexit from the South China Sea, social media users and activists in the Philippines said Monday on the eve of a crucial tribunal ruling. Inspired by the Brexit term coined for Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, the catchy new reference for China has quickly gained currency on Facebook, Twitter and protest placards ahead of Tuesday’s verdict on Beijing’s claims to most […]
Taylor Swift world’s highest paid celebrity: Forbes
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — At the tender age of 26, Taylor Swift is the world’s highest-paid celebrity, pulling in a whopping $170 million over the past year, Forbes magazine said Monday. The pop diva’s take from June 2015 to June 2016 is the highest total of her young career, the magazine said, more than doubling her previous record of $80 million last year. She out-earned other famous musicians including Adele ($80.5 million), Madonna […]
Israel okays millions to West Bank settlements after attacks
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) – Israel’s government on Sunday approved nearly $13 million in financing for the West Bank settlements of Kiryat Arba and within Hebron, officials said, following a wave of Palestinian attacks in the area. The decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing cabinet will see some 50 million shekels ($12.8 million, 11.6 million euros) allocated to “strengthen” the communities. “Government offices, I must note, have all been recruited to assist the residents who […]
Indonesia urges action as high-seas kidnappings surge
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) – Indonesia called Monday on Malaysia and the Philippines to do more to secure their “unsafe” waters after the weekend abduction of sailors by suspected Islamist militants. Armed men in a speedboat kidnapped the three sailors late Saturday from a Malaysian-flagged trawler in Malaysian waters off Borneo island and took them towards the strife-torn southern Philippines, officials said. The kidnappers were apparently targeting Indonesian citizens, as three Malaysian sailors and an Indonesian […]
After win, Abe calls for debate on Japan constitution
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – by Kyoko HASEGAWA An emboldened Shinzo Abe called Monday for debate on Japan’s pacifist constitution, which he said it was his “duty” to revise after scoring a strong win in weekend elections. Voters backed the hawkish prime minister, despite a lacklustre economic performance, handing his Liberal Democratic Party and its allies control of more than half of the upper house of parliament. Analysts say with the support of small nationalist parties, Abe […]
