BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — At least eight people were killed in a rocket attack on Baghdad airport, Iraqi security sources said Friday, days after a pro-Iran mob laid siege to the American embassy. “Three rockets hit the international airport in Baghdad,” said a statement from the Iraqi military, adding that two cars exploded. At least eight people died, added a security official who asked to remain anonymous. © Agence France-Presse
Tag: unrest
Fresh clashes over India law, death toll hits 14
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Fresh deadly clashes between Indian police and demonstrators erupted on Friday after more than a week of unrest triggered by a citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim, as thousands rallied at the nation’s biggest mosque. Three protesters were shot dead on Thursday and police said another was killed in clashes in Uttar Pradesh state Friday. Four new protesters have died in fresh clashes with police in northern India, a medical […]
Hong Kong police freeze HK$70 million in protest fund
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong police on Thursday said they had frozen HK$70 million ($10 million) from a major fund for donations to help pro-democracy protesters, and arrested its four members for money laundering. Police said their investigation focused on Spark Alliance, a non-profit online platform formed in 2016 that collects donations to provide support to political critics of the city’s pro-Beijing authorities. It is one of two crowd-sourced funding platforms that have […]
China gives Hong Kong leader ‘unwavering support’
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s premier told beleaguered Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Monday that she had Beijing’s “unwavering support” after a huge rally earlier this month and her government’s thrashing at recent local elections. The city has been upended by six months of massive pro-democracy protests that have seen violent battles between police and hardcore demonstrators, as well as regular transport disruption. Protesters have called for the unpopular Lam to stand down […]
Six dead in protests against Indian citizenship law
by Jalees Andrabi / Anup Sharma / with Sailendra Sil in Kolkata GUWAHATI, India (AFP) — The death toll from violent protests in northeast India against a contentious citizenship law has risen to six, officials said Sunday, as authorities maintained internet bans and curfews to quell unrest. Tension remained high at the epicenter of the unrest in Assam state’s biggest city, Guwahati, with troops patrolling the streets in vehicles amid tight security. Some […]
Hong Kong Airlines delays salaries as protests hit tourism
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Low-cost carrier Hong Kong Airlines said Friday it will delay salary payments to some staff, warning its business has been “severely affected” by the political unrest in the city. Nearly six months of protests in the international finance hub have dealt its tourism sector a massive blow, and airlines serving the city have struggled. “Hong Kong Airlines’ business is severely affected by the social unrest in Hong Kong and […]
Trump signs law supporting Hong Kong protesters
by Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump signed a law Wednesday supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, likely angering Beijing just as Washington was hoping to ease the long-running US-China trade war. Trump had seemed reluctant to sign the bill but with almost unanimous US congressional support for the measure, he had little political room to maneuver. In a statement, Trump spoke of “respect” for Chinese President Xi Jinping and said he […]
Freed UK hostage and wife say they were chained, threatened by Abu Sayyaf while in captivity
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AFP) — A British man and his wife rescued this week from Islamist captors in the Philippines’ south say they were chained and threatened with beheading if they didn’t deliver a ransom. The couple, shaken but unharmed, told their nearly two-month ordeal to reporters after escaping during a firefight Monday between Philippine troops and the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf group. The husband, named by British authorities as Alan Hyrons, painted a “very […]
Philippines rescues British man, wife held by jihadists
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — MANILA, Philippines (AFP) Philippine soldiers on Monday rescued a British man and his wife from Islamic State-linked jihadists nearly two months after the couple were kidnapped from their beach resort in the nation’s south, authorities said. Troops recovered the pair after a firefight with gunmen from the Abu Sayyaf group on the restive southern island of Jolo, which is a stronghold of the kidnap-for-ransom gang that has been behind some […]
Hong Kongers vote in record numbers as democracy camp seeks to send message
by Yan ZHAO / Xinqi SU Agence France Presse HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong’s voters turned out in record numbers Sunday for local council elections that the city’s pro-democracy movement hopes will add pressure on the Beijing-backed government to heed their demands after months of violent protest. Lengthy queues snaked out of polling stations across the territory in the election for 18 district councils, where high turnout is expected to benefit democratic […]
23 dead as violent unrest in Chile enters fifth week
by Paulina ABRAMOVICH Agence France Presse SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — The death toll from violent unrest in Chile rose to 23 on Friday as the country entered its fifth week of social unrest. Looting and demonstrations took place in cities across the South American nation, and an agreement on a political roadmap that will see Chile draft a new constitution has halted neither the anger, nor the bloodshed. Furious Chileans have since October 18 been […]
Hong Kong university protesters defy surrender warnings
by Catherine Lai HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Dozens of exhausted pro-democracy protesters barricaded inside a Hong Kong university defied warnings Tuesday to surrender, as a police siege of the campus dragged into a third day and China sent fresh signals that its patience with nearly six months of unrest was running out. High school students were among those holed up inside the battered Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), fearing arrest or being shot at […]
