International

Obama warns Russia ‘world will be watching’ Syria ceasefire

by Andrew BEATTY WASHINGTON, United States —  US President Barack Obama put the onus for upholding a ceasefire in Syria firmly on the regime and its Russian ally Thursday, warning Moscow and Damascus that the “world will be watching.” Hours before the Saturday cessation of hostilities comes into force, Obama huddled with his top national security advisors to plot the way forward and discuss the campaign against the Islamic State group. “Everybody knows what needs […]

Teenager near Tokyo found to have Zika virus

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) — Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Friday (February 26) said Japan had little to worry about after a male teenager near Tokyo was found to have been infected with the Zika virus. “It is not yet the season for mosquitoes to be active in our nation, so there is little concern that this case will trigger a large scale infectIon. However the government has held meetings to decide supplementary steps […]

Spain faces long road to form new government

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — After a brief glimmer of hope, Spain’s Socialists look set to fail in their bid to form a government next week, plunging the country into more political uncertainty. As the country emerges from an economic crisis and faces an independence threat in the northeastern Catalonia region, it still does not have a government, nearly 10 weeks after elections produced a hung parliament. Socialist chief Pedro Sanchez has been racing to garner backing […]

China says deployment of S.China Sea defenses is its legitimate right

BEIJING, China (CCTV) — China’s defence ministry said on Thursday (February 25) that his country has the legitimate right to deploy defenses in the South China Sea in the face of a militarization process being pushed by the United States. China and the United States have sparred repeatedly over the past week following reports China is deploying advanced missiles, fighters and radar equipment on islands in the South China Sea, especially on Woody Island in […]

Colombia rebels: Laying down guns to embrace roles as mothers

MAGDALENA MEDIO VALLEY, Colombia (AFP) — They have seen bloodshed and death in Colombia’s jungles but for some women rebel fighters, the greatest pain was being forced to abandon their children. Wearing green combat fatigues, Rosmira, 29, sits with a group of her sisters-in-arms at a secret mountain camp, where AFP was exceptionally granted access by commanders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). In a half-century-long conflict that has left countless orphans and widows, […]

All eyes on Syria as ceasefire deadline looms

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — US President Barack Obama warned Russia and Damacus that the “world will be watching”, hours before a partial truce was due to come into force in war-torn Syria on Saturday. Obama said “the coming days will be critical” for the ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington, and agreed to by both President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Syria’s top opposition grouping. The deal — which excludes the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and […]

Gunman kills up to four in Kansas shooting spree

HESSTON, KANSAS, United States (Reuters) — An employee killed up to four people and wounded as many as 20 others in a shooting spree that ended at his work site in Hesston, Kansas, on Thursday (February 25) where he was shot and killed by authorities, the local sheriff told reporters. The gunman appears to have opened fire at three locations before entering the building of a lawnmower manufacturer where he worked, Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton […]

Iran votes in vital elections after nuclear deal

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iranians vote Friday in elections billed by the moderate president as vital to curbing conservative dominance in parliament and speeding up domestic reforms after a nuclear deal with world powers. A pro-government coalition called “The List of Hope” is representing President Hassan Rouhani’s ambitions in the polls. Almost 55 million people are eligible to cast ballots that will ultimately elect 290 lawmakers. They will also vote in a second election to select the […]

UN Security Council set to endorse Syria ceasefire

UNITED STATES, United States (AFP) — The UN Security Council is expected to vote Friday on a US-Russian draft resolution endorsing the Syria ceasefire, diplomats said. The 15-member council is set to meet as of 2000 GMT to hear a report from UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and could vote on the measure at that session. The draft text obtained by AFP welcomes the truce as “a step towards a lasting ceasefire” and endorses the US-Russian agreement […]

Biden rues ‘damaging’ tone against Mexico in U.S. presidential race

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (Reuters) — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday (February 25) said he felt “almost obliged” to say sorry for verbal attacks on Mexico in the U.S. presidential campaign, in which Republican front-runner Donald Trump has labelled Mexican migrants rapists and drug runners. Speaking alongside Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto during a visit to Mexico City, Biden never mentioned Trump, who nonetheless loomed large over the proceedings. “There’s been a lot of […]

Aid finally getting to Fiji cyclone victims

SUVA, Fiji (AFP) — Humanitarian aid was finally reaching isolated communities in Fiji devastated by super-cyclone Winston, officials said Friday, with the government estimating the damage bill will top hundreds of millions of dollars. At least 44 people died when the most powerful storm in Fiji’s history hit on Saturday and the UN says about 50,000 — more than five percent of the entire population — have been left homeless. Some of the worst-affected villages were on […]

Obama warns Russia ‘world will be watching’ Syria ceasefire

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Barack Obama put the onus for upholding a ceasefire in Syria firmly on the regime and its Russian ally Thursday, warning Moscow and Damascus that the “world will be watching.” Hours before the Saturday cessation of hostilities comes into force, Obama huddled with his top national security advisors to plot the way forward and discuss the campaign against the Islamic State group. “Everybody knows what needs to happen,” Obama […]