Asia

S. Korean president risks probe, new PM nominee warns

by Park Chan-Kyong SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — A snowballing political scandal moved closer to embattled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Thursday, with her newly nominated prime minister warning she could face a probe, hours after prosecutors detained a former presidential aide. Ahn Jong-Beom was detained late Wednesday over suspicions that he helped Park’s friend Choi Soon-Sil coerce companies into donating large sums to dubious non-profit foundations that she then used for personal gains, […]

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Japan rocket launches satellite into space

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A Japanese rocket that fired a weather satellite into space on Wednesday was decked out in colourful manga in a bid to raise awareness among kids about the wonders of the universe. The H-IIA rocket carrying the Himawari-9 weather satellite blasted into a cloudy sky at the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Kagoshima prefecture at 3:20 pm (0620 GMT). Japan’s domestically developed mainstay rocket carried two pieces of manga artwork originally […]

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Fight to the end, IS boss Baghdadi urges Mosul jihadists

by Sarah Benhaida with Ali Choukeir in Baghdad GOGJALI, Iraq (AFP) — Jihadist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on his fighters to resist as Iraqi forces were poised Thursday to enter the city of Mosul where he declared a “caliphate” two years ago. The appeal was made in an audio recording released on the Internet and purported to be by the elusive leader of the Islamic State group, his first message this year. “Do not […]

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Neither Clinton, nor Trump popular in Arab world: poll

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Almost half the population of the Middle East and North Africa would abstain if given the right to vote in next week’s US presidential election, an opinion poll revealed Thursday. But Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton came far ahead of her Republican opponent Donald Trump as the preferred candidate to lead the United States, which plays a key role in the Arab world. Out of 3,017 people polled across 18 countries, […]

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MH370 plunged rapidly, not ready for landing: new report

  SYDNEY, Australia | AFP | — Flight MH370 was likely out of control when it plunged into the ocean with its wing flaps not prepared for landing, a new report said Wednesday, casting doubt on theories a pilot was still in charge. Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 passengers and crew. The report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the plane’s […]

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Australia, Indonesia mull joint South China Sea patrols

    SYDNEY, Australia | AFP | — Australia is considering joint patrols with Indonesia in the disputed South China Sea, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Tuesday, in a move set to irk Beijing. The possibility was raised by Jakarta during meetings between Bishop and Defence Minister Marise Payne and Indonesian officials including Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu last week. “We have agreed to explore options to increase maritime cooperation and of course that would include […]

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Toll in China mine blast rises to 33

BEIJING, China (AFP) — All 33 miners missing after a colliery explosion in China earlier this week have been confirmed dead, state media reported Wednesday, in the country’s latest mining accident. The bodies of the last 15 were retrieved from the Jinshangou mine in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing in the early hours, the official Xinhua news agency said. Only two workers escaped Monday’s blast alive. Though the cause of the explosion was still unknown, […]

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S. Korea coastguard fires machine guns at Chinese trawlers

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean coastguard vessels have, for the first time, fired machine guns against Chinese boats illegally fishing in Korean waters, an official said Wednesday. There were no casualties reported from the incident on Tuesday, which was the first of its kind since the coastguard announced last month that it would pursue a “more aggressive” firearms policy with Chinese trawlers. Disputes over illegal fishing have dogged relations between South Korea and […]

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Iraq forces fight way into Mosul

by Sarah Benhaida with Ammar Karim in Baghdad BARTALLA, Iraq (AFP) — Iraqi forces fought their way into jihadist-held Mosul on Tuesday, the military said, as a top commander declared the “true liberation” of the city from the Islamic State group had begun. Just over two weeks into the massive offensive to retake Mosul — IS’s last major stronghold in Iraq — soldiers managed to push within city limits. Troops had “entered the Judaidat Al-Mufti […]

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Syria’s Assad congratulates Lebanon’s new president

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad Monday congratulated his new Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun on his election, hoping it would contribute to “reinforcing stability” in Lebanon, state news agency SANA said. Lebanese lawmakers earlier Monday elected the 81-year-old ex-army chief, who promised to protect the country from spillover from the five-year war in neighbouring Syria. In a phone call, “Assad congratulated General Michel Aoun on his election,” SANA said, hoping it would “contribute […]

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Egypt floods kill 26 people and injure dozens more

  (Reuters) — Twenty-six people were killed and dozens more injured after two days of heavy flooding hit several Egyptian cities on Friday and Saturday (October 28-29), Egypt’s health ministry said. The rain hit in the early hours of Friday (October 28) morning sweeping away cars and destroying houses. Seven people were killed in the Red Sea city of Ras Ghareb, health officials added. Authorities said two main roads in the city were closed due […]

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The ‘female Rasputin’ at centre of S. Korean political scandal

  by Jung Ha-Won SEOUL, South Korea | AFP | — South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is facing calls to resign over allegations she allowed a close personal friend to meddle in state affairs. The woman at the heart of the scandal is an elusive figure with no government post or security clearance but a reportedly Rasputin-like grip on the president’s trust and affections. Here are five key questions about an ongoing and sometimes bizarre […]

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