US President Donald Trump departed for France Wednesday, as yet another political firestorm swirled in Washington over allegations that Russia helped the Republican ascend to the White House. Air Force One departed at 7:43 pm (2343 GMT) for the trip to Paris during which Trump, who sported a cerulean blue tie for the trip, is … Read more
European and US stocks scored solid gains Wednesday, with the Dow ending at a fresh record, as investors welcomed congressional testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen reiterating the pledge to gradual interest rate increases. Sentiment also got a boost from higher oil prices following US inventory data showing a big drop in petroleum supplies. … Read more
France will cut processing time for asylum requests and boost housing for refugees while “systematically” deporting illegal economic migrants, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Wednesday. Unveiling an “action plan” for dealing with tens of thousands of people who arrive in France each year, Philippe said it aimed to “guarantee the right to asylum (and) better … Read more
ISIS has finally admitted its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead, according to reports in Iraq. The terror group is said to have confirmed that the 45-year-old was killed in an air strike in the Iraqi province of Nineveh. Reports claim ISIS fanatics are scrambling to find a successor to the terror chief, who announced the formation of … Read more
Topless activists interrupted a concert by Woody Allen in Germany, calling for an end to the “culture of silence” around sexual abuse allegations against the US director. The German branch of the feminist group Femen posted a video on its Facebook page showing two activists mounting the stage during an appearance by Allen, who plays … Read more
Wall Street stocks finished little changed Tuesday, rebounding from a mid-session swoon sparked by unease over Donald Trump Jr’s interactions with Russian interests. Markets had been chugging through a sleepy session until the midday release of emails by the US president’s son showing the younger Trump embraced Russia’s efforts to support his father’s presidential campaign, … Read more
The International Olympic Committee agreed Tuesday to award the 2024 and 2028 Games at the same time, effectively guaranteeing that Paris and Los Angeles will be the hosts. The French capital is tipped to stage 2024, with the California metropolis having hinted that it was prepared to wait four more years. The two cities were … Read more
Six weeks after welcoming Russia’s Vladimir Putin to France at the Palace of Versailles, new French President Emmanuel Macron will use history and his country’s grandeur to try to charm Donald Trump on Thursday. In London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, European leaders are wondering how best to handle the unpredictable US president, whose nationalist “America … Read more
As West Africa declares war on the market for expired and counterfeit medicines, start-ups are putting quality control in the hands of patients to stop them risking their lives trying to get well. Not only can such drugs fail to treat the diseases they are bought to combat, experts say, but they may encourage resistance … Read more
Global stocks mostly rose Monday, shrugging off misgivings over a contentious G20 meeting ahead of highly-anticipated testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and second quarter earnings reports later in the week. Equity markets in Asia and Europe were generally higher, while US indices were mixed, with the Nasdaq rising and the Dow retreating slightly. … Read more
Political heavyweights from Paris and Los Angeles courted the International Olympic Committee on Monday ahead of a key vote likely to determine the hosts of the 2024 and 2028 Games. French President Emmanuel Macron and Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti were both in Lausanne, Switzerland, for talks with Olympic brass including IOC chief Thomas Bach. … Read more
Exceptionally warm years in the Arctic have provoked extra-cold winters and springs further to the south, decreasing crop yields across central Canada and the United States, researchers said Monday. “Our study demonstrates for the first time an apparent linkage between Arctic temperature variations and agricultural productivity in mid-latitudes,” they reported in the journal Nature Geoscience. … Read more
The main opposition party in the DemocraticRepublic of Congo on Monday blasted as a “provocation” and a power grab an announcement that elections to end a deep political crisis in the mineral-rich country will likely not be held this year. The president of DR Congo’s electoral commission, Corneille Nangaa, had told reporters in Paris on … Read more
Qatar on Sunday announced it was establishing a committee to pursue compensation claims potentially worth billions of dollars over the country’s “blockade” by Gulf states. Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri said the Compensation Claims Committee would deal with cases including major companies, such as Qatar Airways, and individual Qatari students who have been expelled … Read more
Leaders from the world’s leading economies broke with U. S. President Donald Trump on climate policy at a G20 summit on Saturday, in a rare public admission of disagreement and blow to multilateral cooperation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, keen to show off her skills as a mediator two months before a German election, achieved her … Read more
G20 countries have managed to avoid a total bust-up with Donald Trump over climate change, leaving the door open for Washington to return to the Paris Agreement — but at the cost of risky concessions. After the US president decided last month to pull out of the hard-fought deal to combat global warming, climate change … Read more
The White House has championed a new era of US leadership in space, but its aspirations are complicated by tight budgets, vacancies in top posts and the rising role of private industry in aerospace innovation, experts say. During a speech Thursday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Vice President Mike Pence delighted hundreds of space agency … Read more
Inspired by the Grand Slam heroics of compatriot Michael Venus, Wimbledon doubles contender Artem Sitak hopes New Zealand’s emerging tennis stars will spike the sport’s popularity in his rugby-obsessed country. Sitak is part of a talented group of Kiwis thriving on the world tour without receiving much publicity back home, where the All Blacks’ rugby … Read more
World leaders made concessions on trade and climate language to Donald Trump Saturday at the end of the most fractious and riot-hit G20 summit ever, in exchange for preserving a fragile unity of the club of major industrialised and emerging economies. In a departure from final summit declarations that tend to outline consensus on issues … Read more
Uber is pulling its primary service out of Finland as it waits for a law that will deregulate the taxi market to be passed. The cab firm, which exclusively operates in the nation’s capital Helsinki, is suspending its UberPop service, which allows any driver to sign up and offer unlicensed taxi trips. “We want to ensure that … Read more