World News

Families of the victims of flight MH17 marked five years on Wednesday (Jul 17) since the crash, with calls for justice for the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines plane over war-torn eastern Ukraine. The Netherlands and Australia blame Russia for the downing of MH17. (Photo: AFP/Alexander Khudoteply) The remembrance services in the Netherlands and Kuala Lumpur came less than a month after international investigators charged three Russians and a Ukrainian with the murder of the 298 people who died. Mourners gathering at the Dutch national monument to the disaster were surrounded by 298 trees - one was planted for each victim - and sunflowers grown from seeds from the Ukrainian fields where the wreckage fell. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was to address relatives at the memorial in Vijfhuizen, next to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport where the ill-fated flight to Malaysia took off on Jul 17, 2014. "At this unique place of sorrow the reading of the names of all victims is again … [Read more...] about Calls for justice on fifth anniversary of MH17 crash

The battle to be Britain's next prime minister enters its final straight on Wednesday (Jul 17) with both candidates hardening their positions on Brexit, putting the future government on a collision course with Brussels. Boris Johnson (left) and Jeremy Hunt (right) are now both referring to Britain's departure with no overall deal in place as a realistic prospect. (Photo: AFP) Ex-London Mayor Boris Johnson, the favourite to replace Theresa May, and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, are now both referring to Britain's departure with no overall deal in place as a realistic prospect. The business community and many lawmakers fear dire economic consequences from a no-deal Brexit which would lead to immediate trade tariffs for certain sectors including the automotive industry. Johnson and Hunt are taking part in a final question-and-answer session later on Wednesday before the result of the vote by Conservative Party members is announced on Jul 23 and the new prime minister is … [Read more...] about No deal Brexit looms as race for new British PM wraps up

Ten people were killed and at least 10 others were feared trapped under rubble after a building collapsed during heavy monsoon rains which lashed India's financial capital Mumbai on Tuesday (Jul 16), officials said, the second such tragedy in two weeks. Fire brigade personnel and rescue workers look for survivors after a building collapsed in Mumbai Indian fire brigade personnel and rescue workers look for survivors after a building collapsed in Mumbai on July 16, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Punit Paranjpe) Torrential downpours have swept away homes, triggered landslides and claimed at least 180 lives across South Asia. "Ten dead bodies have been recovered and nine injured have been sent to hospital," disaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble told AFP of the building collapse in southern Mumbai's congested Dongri area. "Rescue operations will continue till everyone stuck under the debris is rescued. Over ten people are still stuck inside." Two teams from India's National Disaster … [Read more...] about 10 dead, at least 10 feared trapped in Mumbai building collapse

Top US and Chinese trade negotiators are due to speak by telephone in the coming days, but no face-to-face talks have been scheduled yet, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday (Jul 15). US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said no date has yet been agreed for in person trade talks with China. (AFP/NICHOLAS KAMM) That would be the second call in two weeks by senior officials from Washington and Beijing as the thaw in fraught trade negotiations continues. "We expect to have another principal-level call this week," Mnuchin told reporters on Monday. "To the extent we make significant progress, there's a good chance we'll go there later." President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart last month agreed to resume trade talks after discussions collapsed in early May when the American side accused Beijing of reneging on key commitments. As a result, Trump jacked up duty rates on US$200 billion in Chinese imports but agreed last month not to move forward with another … [Read more...] about US China trade officials to talk again “this week”

French President Emmanuel Macron. (AFP/OLIVER BUNIC) The detention of Fariba Adelkhah, a well-known expert on Iran and Shiite Islam at the prestigious Sciences Po university, risks increasing tension between Paris and Tehran at a critical moment in crisis talks to save the beleagured Iranian nuclear programme. Adelkhah has been denied contact with consular staff, the French foreign ministry said on Monday, confirming her dual nationality. "France calls on the Iranian authorities to shed full light on Mrs Adelkhah's situation and repeats its demands, particularly with regard to an immediate authorisation for consular access," the ministry said in a statement. "What has happened worries me a great deal," Macron told reporters at a news conference in Belgrade, where he is visiting. "We have been aware of this for some days. "I have expressed my disagreement and asked President (Hassan) Rohani for clarification," he added. But he added that France had so far received no meaningful … [Read more...] about Macron demands answers from Iran over academic”s detention