International

Taiwan New Year tax protesters cite French ‘yellow vest’ success

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — A Taiwanese tax reform campaign whose activists dress in yellow ramped up its protests Tuesday, interrupting a New Year flag-raising ceremony attended by the president, partially inspired by the recent success of France’s “yellow vests”. France has been severely rattled by six weeks of often violent demonstrations from “gilets jaunes” protesters, named after the high-visibility vests supporters have adopted. The movement forced French President Emmanuel Macron to jettison his controversial fuel […]

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Kim warns N. Korea could consider change of tack

by Jung Hawon Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Nuclear-armed North Korea wants good relations with the US but could consider a change of approach if Washington maintains its sanctions, leader Kim Jong Un warned in his New Year speech Tuesday after 12 months of diplomatic rapprochement. At a summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June the two signed a vaguely worded pledge on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But […]

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New Brazil leader Bolsonaro targets crime, leftwing ‘ideology’

by Louis GENOT, with Marc BURLEIGH in Rio de Janeiro Agence France Presse BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro declared a crusade against crime, corruption and leftwing ideology as he took office Tuesday for a four-year term at the helm of Latin America’s biggest nation. In his first public speech wearing the presidential sash, Boslonaro said Brazil will “start to free itself of socialism” and “political correctness,” breaking with policies brought […]

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Trump congratulates Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro on inauguration

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump congratulated Brazil’s new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro as he took office Tuesday for a four-year term at the helm of Latin America’s most powerful nation. “Congratulations to President @jairbolsonaro who just made a great inauguration speech – the U.S.A. is with you!” Trump wrote on Twitter. © Agence France-Presse

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At least 4 dead, dozens missing in deadly Russia high-rise blast

  by Anna SMOLCHENKO Agence France Presse MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Rescuers hunted for survivors on Monday after a gas explosion tore through a high-rise residential building in central Russia, killing at least four people and leaving dozens unaccounted for. A large section of the building collapsed after the explosion around 6:00 am local time (1100 GMT) at the high-rise in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, nearly 1,700 kilometres (1,050 miles) east of Moscow in […]

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World welcomes 2019 with fireworks and festivities

  by Glenda KWEK Agence France Presse Revellers welcomed 2019 with fireworks displays and festivities as a celebratory wave swept westward across the globe from Asia to Europe and the Americas at the conclusion of a tumultuous year. Monday’s celebrations kicked off with Sydney hosting its biggest-ever pyrotechnics display and lighting up its harbour-front skyline for a full 12 minutes. More than 1.5 million spectators gathered to enjoy the spectacle that also featured a ceremony […]

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Trump appears to slow Syria troop pullout plan

by Sebastian Smith Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack Monday on shock plans for an immediate pullout of US troops from Syria, but said his drive to end American involvement in wars made him a “hero.” The shift came a day after a senior Republican senator said Trump had promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of defeating the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. Trump […]

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‘Hold fast’: Mattis bids farewell to Pentagon

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Defense Secretary Jim Mattis bade farewell to the Pentagon on Monday, telling the US military to “hold fast” after he quit over a series of fundamental differences with President Donald Trump. Mattis resigned December 20, after Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a full troop withdrawal from Syria. “Our department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult,” Mattis said in a brief memo […]

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NFL: Bucs fall short in season finale, fire head coach

By Melissa Potes EBC Florida Bureau TAMPA, Florida (Eagle News) — The season finale of NFC South division rivals Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers featured former Pro Bowl quarterbacks, Matt Ryan and Jameis Winston, putting on a show, with the Bucs losing 34-32 on a last possession field goal by the Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. In a high scoring affair, the Buccaneers started off hot, taking a 17-0 lead, which included a 70-yard […]

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2018 death toll Syria war’s lowest at under 20,000: monitor

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — Syria’s nearly eight-year-old conflict saw its lowest annual death toll in 2018 as the regime reasserted its authority over swathes of territory, a war monitor said on Monday. A total of 19,666 people were killed this year as a result of the conflict, which erupted in 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. “2018 was the lowest annual toll since the start of the conflict,” Observatory chief Rami […]

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Sydney to kick off global New Year parties with dazzling spectacle

by Glenda KWEK Agence France Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s largest city Sydney will put on its biggest-ever fireworks display to welcome the New Year and kick off a wave of celebrations for billions around the world. A record amount of pyrotechnics, as well as new fireworks effects and colours, will light up the harbor city’s skyline for 12 minutes and dazzle the more than 1.5 million spectators expected to crowd foreshores and parks. […]

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Ghosn’s detention extended to Jan 11: media

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn will be spending the beginning of 2019 behind bars after a Tokyo court on Monday extended his detention through to January 11, local media reported. The decision, reported by public broadcaster NHK and local news agency Jiji Press, comes after Japanese prosecutors re-arrested Ghosn for fresh allegations on December 21, dashing his hopes of being home for Christmas. There was no immediate confirmation from the court. […]

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