World

The US-educated son of a top aide to Paraguay's late dictator is favorite to win Sunday's presidential election in one of Latin America's poorest countries. Opinion polls give Mario Abdo Benitez of the ruling conservative Colorado party a clear lead over his centrist opponent, Efrain Alegre, in a two-horse race to succeed outgoing conservative President Horacio Cartes. Paraguay -- a … [Read more...] about Paraguay candidate with ties to dictatorship set to win presidency

French President Emmanuel Macron seems, as much as any world leader, to have developed some kind of rapport with his American counterpart Donald Trump. But will their apparent bond prove productive as European capitals struggle to save the Iran nuclear deal from Trump's impulsive wrath? The idea will be tested Monday when the young French leader begins a state visit in Washington, and … [Read more...] about Can Macron’s White House visit save the Iran deal?

US President Donald Trump said the North Korean nuclear crisis is far from conclusion on Sunday, striking a cautious note a day after the North's pledge to end its nuclear tests raised hopes before planned summits with South Korea and the United States. North Korea said on Saturday it was suspending nuclear and missile tests and scrapping its nuclear test site, and instead pursuing economic … [Read more...] about Trump says ‘long way’ to go on North Korea crisis

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Saturday he was ready to consider changing an unpopular social security overhaul that has sparked days of deadly protests and one of the biggest crises of his leadership. At least six people have died since Nicaraguans began demonstrating on Wednesday against measures that increase worker contributions and lower pensions, in an unusually direct … [Read more...] about Nicaragua’s Ortega offers benefits rethink as protest death toll rises

Mitt Romney's restart of his political career hit a roadblock Saturday. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor failed to win the Utah Republican Party's nomination, which means he must face 11 challengers in a June primary for the US Senate seat being vacated by retiring US Sen. Orrin Hatch. Romney needed at least 60 percent of the votes from delegates … [Read more...] about Romney fails to win GOP nomination for senate, heads to primary in Nov

Armenia's prime minister and ex-president Serzh Sarkisian walked out of a televised meeting Sunday with anti-government protest leader Nikol Pashinyan shortly after it began, denouncing the opposition's "blackmail". "I came here to discuss your resignation," Pashinyan, the leader of the opposition Civil Contract party, had told the prime minister in front of the cameras. "This is not a … [Read more...] about Armenian PM walks out of talks with protest leader

When elite North Korean soldier Joo Seung-hyeon made his way through the Demilitarized Zone, avoiding minefields and watchtowers to defect to the South, he thought he was going to a prosperous new life. The reality was more complicated than that. Ostracised by Southerners who he says see their Northern cousins as "poor, uncivilised barbarians", he was dismissed at countless interviews for … [Read more...] about North Korea refugees find new pressures in South

The pain of waiting 10 hours with her leg crushed by bodies under the rubble of the Rana Plaza factory was hell for Nilufer Begum. But the five-year wait for justice has been just as agonising. Bangladesh on Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of one of the world's worst industrial disasters, a building collapse that killed more than 1,130 workers and spotlighted the Western clothing brands … [Read more...] about Five years of agony: Bangladesh factory disaster survivors await justice

The suicide of an Indian man being held at an immigration detention centre in Japan has sparked a hunger strike among detainees and revived concerns about conditions. Deepak Kumar was found dead on April 13 after apparently hanging himself in the shower at the Ushiku facility, northeast of Tokyo. At least eight detainees, including Kumar, have died in immigration detention facilities since … [Read more...] about Suicide revives concerns about Japan immigration detention

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations were gathered in Toronto on Sunday seeking a common front against what they see as provocation from Vladimir Putin's Russia. The envoys will also be keen to glean clues from their US colleague about whether President Donald Trump plans to tear up the Iran nuclear deal and how he will handle a planned summit with North Korea's … [Read more...] about G7 ministers meet against backdrop of Russia stand-off