London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s Parliament said Wednesday it would reconsider plans to silence Big Ben for four years after Prime Minister Theresa May chimed in to a growing MPs’ revolt. Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower, one of Britain’s most cherished tourist attractions, is due for conservation work and the clock’s …
Read More »US Army chief of staff Gen Milley condemns racism after deadly protests
Washington, United States | AFP | US military leaders have been denouncing racism and intolerance since a white supremacist rally in Virginia — with condemnation mounting after President Donald Trump said counter-protesters also were to blame for the violence. Trump on Tuesday held a New York press conference in which he …
Read More »Trump under fire over Charlottesville remarks
New York, United States | AFP | Donald Trump found himself in the eye of a political storm Wednesday after his stunning remarks on the unrest in Charlottesville, which sparked unease within his own camp and could be a turning point in his already chaotic presidency. Just about 200 days into …
Read More »Merkel reaches out to young voters on YouTube
Berlin, Germany | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel, campaigning Wednesday for the youth vote on YouTube ahead of September 24 elections, said her favourite emoticon was the “smiley” and dismissed fears about a potential World War III. The 63-year-old leader, in power for nearly 12 years, also said she hoped …
Read More »Trump renews attack on Amazon, claiming ‘jobs lost’
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Amazon, claiming the US online colossus is doing “great damage” to other retailers and destroying jobs. Trump, who has criticized Amazon in the past, offered no specific facts to back up his argument. He launched his tirade …
Read More »Obama post-Charlottesville tweet most liked ever on Twitter
Washington, United States | AFP | A tweet by former president Barack Obama about the violence in Charlottesville has become the most liked message in the history of Twitter, the company said Wednesday. The tweet by the country’s first black president quoted Nelson Mandela. “No one is born hating another person …
Read More »Former presidents Bush condemn bigotry, anti-Semitism
Washington, United States | AFP | Former US leaders George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush on Wednesday issued a tough joint statement condemning racial bigotry and anti-Semitism, in a veiled rebuke of President Donald Trump. Trump sparked a political firestorm on Tuesday when he said counter-protesters appeared to be …
Read More »Kiev says engine type ‘used in N.Korea missiles’ made for Russia
Kiev, Ukraine | AFP | Ukraine’s space agency said Tuesday that an engine type reportedly used in North Korean missiles was made at a Ukrainian factory, but solely for use in space rockets supplied to Russia. The development came after an expert report published Monday said Pyongyang’s recent rapid progress in …
Read More »Trump makes racism ‘fashionable’ – James
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James reacted swiftly Tuesday to US President Donald Trump’s repeated claim that there was “blame on both sides” in the deadly racial unrest in Charlottesville. “Hate has always existed in America. Yes we know that but Donald Trump just made …
Read More »ICC issues arrest warrant for Benghazi commander
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | International judges issued a war crimes arrest warrant Tuesday against a senior Libyan military commander, suspected of involvement in the deaths of 33 people in the war-torn city of Benghazi. “The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli, …
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