International

Obama defends free trade at Asia-Pacific summit rattled by Trump

by Sam Reeves Martin Abbugao Lima, Peru (AFP) — US President Barack Obama on Sunday defended free trade as fellow Asia-Pacific leaders vowed to fight protectionism after Donald Trump’s shock election victory sparked fears for the future of global commerce. Trump’s triumph in this month’s US presidential poll has raised concerns that years of rolling back trade barriers could be reversed after the populist billionaire vowed to tear up a series of key deals. His […]

Trump wraps up marathon weekend cabinet search

by Don EMMERT with Ivan Couronne in Washington BEDMINSTER, United States (AFP) — US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday wrapped up a busy weekend of meetings with cabinet hopefuls at his golf club retreat outside New York, hinting new appointments are imminent. The Republican billionaire-turned-world leader signaled he is seriously considering retired Marine Corps general James “Mad Dog” Mattis to be his Pentagon chief, heaping praise on him. When asked before dinner at his Trump […]

Obama defends free trade at Asia-Pacific summit rattled by Trump

by Sam Reeves Martin Abbugao LIMA, Peru (AFP) — US President Barack Obama on Sunday defended free trade as fellow Asia-Pacific leaders vowed to fight protectionism after Donald Trump’s shock election victory sparked fears for the future of global commerce. The surprise win by Trump, who vowed to tear up trade deals that he claimed sent American jobs abroad, has raised concerns that years of rolling back trade barriers could be reversed. His victory overshadowed […]

Sarkozy knocked out of French presidential race

by Gina DOGGETT Guy JACKSON PARIS, France (AFP) –Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy crashed out of the presidential election on Sunday, suffering a humiliating defeat in the first round of the rightwing primary. Sarkozy was beaten into third place after a stunning upset by Francois Fillon, who served as his prime minister, with the veteran Alain Juppe finishing second. The surprise result puts Fillon in a commanding position for next Sunday’s second round of a […]

6.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Argentina, Chile

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — A 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted western Argentina and parts of Chile Sunday, with no immediate reports of damage, authorities said. The quake rocked San Juan province at 1757 local time (2057 GMT), striking at a depth of about 130 kilometers (80 miles), Argentina’s seismological institute said. In Chile, the quake was measured at a magnitude of 6.5, officials at the government’s National Emergency Office (ONEMI) said. The earthquake was felt in […]

Melania Trump and son may stay in NYC for now

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump’s wife Melania and young son Barron will probably stay in New York when the president-elect moves into the White House, the transition team suggested Sunday. The parents are wary of pulling their son out of school now, team communications director Jason Miller told reporters. “There’s obviously sensitivity to pulling their 10-year-old out of school in the middle of the school year. A more formal statement will be coming […]

Obama wants Ukraine deal ‘before term is up’

LIMA, Peru (AFP) — US President Barack Obama said he told Vladimir Putin on Sunday that he wants to reach a settlement that solves the Ukraine crisis before he leaves office in January. “I talked to him about Ukraine and the need for us to get things done,” Obama told a press conference in Peru, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. “I urged him to instruct his negotiators to work with […]

At least 120 killed as Indian train derails

https://youtu.be/3pEd6mOXiak   by Sanjay Kanojia Pukhrāyān, India (AFP) — Emergency workers raced to find any more survivors in the mangled wreckage of an Indian train that derailed Sunday, killing at least 120 people, in the worst disaster to hit the country’s ageing rail network in recent years. Shocked passengers recalled being jolted out of their early morning slumber by a violent thud as 14 carriages leapt from the tracks in a remote area near Kanpur […]

Trump settles Trump University lawsuits for $25 mn

  by Thomas Urbain with Jocelyne Zablit in Los Angeles Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday agreed to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits accusing his now-defunct Trump University of fraud, sparing him the embarrassment of further legal wrangling as he prepares to enter the White House. A trio of suits brought by former students alleged that the training program — which was not an accredited […]

Pacific leaders urged to defend free trade after Trump win

  by Sam Reeves Agence France Presse LIMA, Peru (AFP) — A summit of top world leaders was urged Friday to fight rising protectionism after Donald Trump’s election victory stoked fears that free trade is under threat, and the global economy along with it. Trump, who triumphed in last week’s US presidential vote, successfully tapped the anger of working-class voters who feel left behind by years of globalization, vowing to protect American jobs against cheap […]

Thousands protest against scandal-plagued Malaysia PM

  by M Jegathesan KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) –Thousands of yellow-clad Malaysians flooded the capital Saturday to demand Prime Minister Najib Razak resign over a corruption scandal, as feared clashes with pro-government rightists failed to materialize. Leading reformist group Bersih, whose colour is yellow, turned out huge crowds for the second time in 15 months to vent anger over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from Najib’s brainchild investment fund, 1MDB. Tensions in the […]

Fresh protest pushes defiant S. Korea president to resign

  by Park Chan-Kyong Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Seoul on Saturday for the fourth in a weekly series of mass protests aimed at forcing President Park Geun-Hye to resign over a corruption scandal. The demonstrations — among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s — have provided a stark challenge to Park’s authority, but the president has defied […]