Beijing, China | AFP | China said Tuesday that the North Korean nuclear crisis had reached a “turning point” and it was time to enter peace talks. The comments by foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying came as the verbal sparring between the United States and North Korea took a less bellicose …
Read More »Iran says can quit nuclear deal if US keeps adding sanctions
Tehran, Iran | AFP | President Hassan Rouhani warned on Tuesday that Iran could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers within hours if the United States keeps on imposing new sanctions as he outlined plans for his new term. In a speech to parliament, he also hit out at …
Read More »French pizzeria crash driver under influence of medication: source
SEPT-SORTS, France | AFP | The driver who rammed his car into a pizzeria near Paris, killing a girl and injuring 13 people, had consumed large quantities of medication before setting off, a legal source told AFP on Tuesday. The incident on Monday night initially raised fears it was a new …
Read More »China warns of retaliation as Trump launches trade probe
Beijing, China | AFP | Trade tensions between the United States and China heated up on Tuesday as Beijing warned that it “will not sit idle” if a US probe into its intellectual property practices leads to sanctions. President Donald Trump’s decision to order the investigation comes on top of strains …
Read More »Sheepish Aussie deputy PM drops Kiwi citizenship
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Australia’s “accidental Kiwi” deputy prime minister renounced his New Zealand citizenship Tuesday amid sheep jokes, Hollywood taunts and conspiracy theories about a left-wing plot to topple Canberra’s conservative government. Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce revealed his New Zealand connection on Monday, sparking calls for him to stand …
Read More »Chinese teen internet addict dies after rehab
Beijing, China | AFP | A Chinese teen has died after spending less than 48 hours at a centre that treats internet addicts, shining a spotlight on the controversial facilities that seek to unlatch people from their screens. The first country to declare internet addiction a clinical disorder, China is estimated …
Read More »North Korea leader briefed on Guam missile plan: KCNA
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been briefed on a plan to fire missiles near Guam but hinted that he would hold off on the launch, Pyongyang’s state media said Tuesday. Kim “examined the plan for a long time” and “discussed it” with commanding officers …
Read More »Trump slams ‘evil’ racism, singles out ‘repugnant’ KKK, neo-Nazis
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump, under pressure to explicitly condemn a weekend rally by white supremacists that ended in bloodshed, on Monday denounced racism and slammed the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis as “repugnant.” Trump had taken heat from Democrats and Republicans alike for his response …
Read More »Pakistan marks 70 years of independence with fireworks, air show
Islamabad, Pakistan | AFP | Pakistan on Monday celebrated 70 years of independence from British India with a patriotic display including a giant flag and a show of airpower, as the military’s top brass vowed to wipe out terrorists hours before a new bomb attack killed six soldiers. Celebrations began at …
Read More »Obama message goes viral after Charlottesville violence
Washington, United States | AFP | A tweet from Barack Obama drew more than two million “likes” by Monday as the former US president offered a message of tolerance following a deadly weekend clash at a white supremacist rally. “No one is born hating another person because of the color …
Read More »