Trump, Putin discuss North Korea over phone call on December 15, 2017Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear program in a phone call Thursday, in which the US president took the unusual step of thanking his Russian counterpart for praising America’s economy. The two heads of state discussed “the situation in several crisis zones, with a focus on solving the nuclear […]
Don’t sleepwalk into war over North Korea: Antonio Guterrres on December 14, 2017United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday warned the world against “sleepwalking into war” over North Korea, as he called for diplomatic efforts to banish nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula. Speaking on a visit to Japan, Secretary-General Guterres said: “The worst possible thing that could happen would be for us all to sleepwalk into […]
Hayek describes harrowing ordeal by ‘monster’ Weinstein on December 14, 2017HOLLYWOOD: A-lister Salma Hayek on Wednesday joined the scores of actresses to accuse Harvey Weinstein, alleging that the fallen Hollywood mogul sexually harassed her, subjected her to escalating rage and once threatened to kill her. “For years, he was my monster,” the Mexican-born star wrote in an essay published in The New York Times, detailing […]
US-led air strikes claim 23 civilian lives in Syria: monitor on December 14, 2017Air strikes by a US-led coalition killed 23 civilians Wednesday in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said. “At least 23 civilians, among them eight children and six women, were killed Wednesday before dawn by air strikes carried out by the US-led coalition, targeting a […]
Fixing claims rock Ashes series on December 14, 2017Cricket chiefs voiced “grave concern” but said there was no evidence the third Ashes Test between Australia and England starting Thursday has been corrupted after a match-fixing bombshell rocked the series. British newspaper The Sun alleged two bookmakers, including an Indian “Mr Big”, had offered to sell it details of rigged periods of play in […]
Israel targets Hamas after missile defence system intercepts rockets fired from Gaza : army on December 14, 2017Israel carried out a series of air strikes against Islamist group Hamas in Gaza early Thursday, the army said, hours after rockets were fired at the Jewish state from the Palestinian enclave. In a statement the Israeli army said they had targeted three Hamas military facilities in different parts of the Gaza Strip, which Hamas […]
Philippines Duterte wins ‘extra year’ of martial law powers on December 13, 2017Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won martial law powers across the southern third of the country for one more year on Wednesday to combat Islamic militants and leftist rebels, as Congress brushed aside fears of a looming dictatorship. Duterte’s request to extend martial law in the Mindanao region until December 31 next year and detain suspected […]
Australia to bid for women’s and men’s World Cups on December 13, 2017Australia will bid to host the 2021 women’s and 2027 men’s World Cups, Rugby Australia said on Wednesday, building on government plans to construct new stadiums in Sydney. Australia successfully hosted the men’s edition in 1987 and co-hosted the 2003 event with New Zealand, but has never staged a women´s World Cup. “The World Cup […]
US urges talks as North Korea brags of ‘nuclear arsenal’ on December 13, 2017The United States is ready to talk to North Korea “without preconditions” but remains determined to force it to abandon its nuclear arsenal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday. But even as Washington stressed the importance of a negotiated end to the standoff, Kim Jong-un vowed to make his nation “the strongest nuclear power […]
Saudi filmmakers, businessmen eye return of the silver screen on December 13, 2017Saudi filmmakers and major cinema chains alike are basking in the news the kingdom will lift its decades-old ban on movie theatres, opening a market of more than 30 million people. At the Dubai International Film Festival on Tuesday, short-film directors talked shop on a seaside veranda, the city’s iconic sailboat-shaped hotel in the background. […]