News

British MP delays giving birth for Brexit vote

Agence France-Presse
Jan 15 06:57 AM

A lawmaker has postponed giving birth in order to vote on Britain's divorce deal with the EU on Tuesday. Read more »

Thailand to make it rain as pollution chokes Bangkok

Agence France-Presse
Jan 15 05:16 AM

Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the pall of pollution that has shrouded the capital in recent weeks. Read more »

Snow storm hits Washington

Carlos Barria, Reuters
Jan 15 02:22 AM

Snow from winter storm Gia falls over the White House as the partial government shutdown becomes the longest in U.S. history in Washington on Sunday.  Read more »

US government shutdown drags into fourth week amid stalemate

Jeff Mason, Reuters
Jan 15 02:18 AM

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Monday rejected a Republican call for temporarily reopening shuttered US government agencies to encourage negotiations with Democrats over border security issues, as a partial government shutdown limped through its 24th day.   Read more »

Chinese court sentences Canadian drug suspect to death

Agence France-Presse
Jan 15 02:14 AM

A Chinese court sentenced a Canadian man to death on drug trafficking charges on Monday after his previous 15-year prison sentence was deemed too lenient, deepening a diplomatic rift as Canadian premier Justin Trudeau accused Beijing of "arbitrarily" using capital punishment. Read more »

Trump: I never worked for Russia

Agence France-Presse
Jan 15 02:01 AM

Standing outside the snow-covered White House on Monday, Donald Trump made an astonishing declaration for a US president: no, he has never been an agent of Russia.   Read more »

Norwegian jailed for ordering online child sex abuse in Philippines

Agence France-Presse
Jan 15 01:44 AM | Updated Jan 15 02:11 AM

A 71-year-old Norwegian man was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison on Monday for ordering sexual assaults to be carried out online against dozens of young Filipinas. Read more »

Britain's big Brexit vote: What happens in parliament?

Reuters
Jan 14 10:49 PM

LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May must win a vote in parliament to get her Brexit deal approved, or risk seeing Britain's exit from the European Union descend into chaos.   Read more »

Cambodia's Hun Sen marks 34 years in power with opposition threat

Agence France-Presse
Jan 14 06:00 PM

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday marked 34 years in power with a threat "to step on the throat" of his rivals if the EU ends trade preferences over the kingdom's slide into one-party rule. Read more »

Singapore says Malaysia ties face 'downward spiral' but hopes for amicable outcome

Fathin Ungku, Reuters
Jan 14 05:18 PM | Updated Jan 14 05:23 PM

SINGAPORE - Singapore's ties with neighboring Malaysia could face a "downward spiral" over a series of maritime and airspace disputes, the wealthy city-state's foreign minister said on Monday, adding that he hoped they could be resolved amicably. Read more »

Thailand to make it rain as pollution chokes Bangkok

Agence France-Presse
Jan 14 05:12 PM

BANGKOK - Thailand is set to deploy rainmaking planes to seed clouds in an effort to tackle the pall of pollution that has shrouded the capital in recent weeks. Read more »

Filipino honeymooners drown in Maldives; friends seek help to fly bodies home

Trishia Billones, ABS-CBN News
Jan 14 04:19 PM | Updated Jan 15 04:03 PM

High school sweethearts Leomer and Erika Joyce Lagradilla tied the knot in front of friends and families as 2018 drew to a close, sealing the deal after more than a decade of being a couple. Read more »

Chinese police begin new probe into expired vaccines

Reuters
Jan 14 12:30 PM

SHANGHAI - Police in China's eastern province of Jiangsu have begun an investigation after at least 145 children received expired polio vaccines, the Global Times said on Monday, a new blow to a sector hit by a series of scandals last year. Read more »

Pompeo to press Saudi prince to hold Khashoggi killers 'accountable'

Francesco Fontemaggi, Agence France-Presse
Jan 14 07:31 AM

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday arrived in Riyadh, where he is set to ask Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to ensure the killers of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are held accountable. Read more »

Macron unveils 'great national debate' to calm protests

Jérôme Rivet and Laurence Benhamou, Agence France-Presse
Jan 14 07:03 AM

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday spelled out the questions underpinning his "great national debate", a public consultation aiming to quell "yellow vest" anger after nearly two months of sometimes violent protests.  Read more »

Trump under fresh scrutiny over relationship with Putin

Jim Mannion, Agence France-Presse
Jan 14 07:00 AM

US President Donald Trump faced uncomfortable new questions Sunday about his relationship with Vladimir Putin despite his angry dismissal of a report that he has kept top aides in the dark about his private conversations with the Russian leader.   Read more »

DFA: No Filipinos hurt in Paris gas explosion

ABS-CBN News
Jan 13 10:06 PM

MANILA -- No Filipinos were hurt in the fatal gas-leak explosion in Paris, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Sunday, as it extended its condolences to the families of the victims.  Read more »

In Saudi weddings, small is the new beautiful

Anuj Chopra, Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 02:57 PM

It was a Saudi wedding like any other -- clutching a decorative sword, the groom bobbed and swayed in a traditional dance. But there was one striking difference -- a tiny guest list. Read more »

Bill extending SSS coverage to OFWs awaits Duterte signature

ABS-CBN News
Jan 13 01:06 PM

A measure pushing for mandatory social security coverage for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has been transmitted to Malacañang for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature, a senator said Sunday.  Read more »

Obama protege Julian Castro joins 2020 presidential race

Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 11:21 AM

Julian Castro, the telegenic former mayor of San Antonio, Texas and Obama-era cabinet member, launched his bid to become the nation's first Hispanic president Saturday, emphasizing a message of hope and diversity at a time when Americans are locked in angry debate over immigration and border security. Read more »

Guatemalans march over president's bid to close UN anti-graft unit

Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 09:53 AM

Thousands of Guatemalans marched Saturday against President Jimmy Morales's bid to close a UN anti-corruption mission that sought to investigate him on suspicion of campaign finance violations. Read more »

Number of 'yellow vest' protesters surges but violence down

Joseph Schmid and Adrien Marotte, Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 08:11 AM

The number of protesters in the latest "yellow vest" rallies across France surged on Saturday, but there was a marked decline in violence despite hundreds of arrests and clashes with police in Paris and other cities. Read more »

Trump blasts FBI counterintel probe into whether he worked for Russia

W.G. Dunlop, Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 08:08 AM

President Donald Trump blasted the FBI Saturday, insisting it acted "for no reason & with no proof" when it opened an investigation into whether he was acting on Russia's behalf after he fired the agency's director, James Comey, in May 2017.  Read more »

2 firefighters, Spanish tourist killed in Paris gas-leak blast

Joseph Schmid, Agence France-Presse
Jan 13 01:02 AM

Around 200 firefighters were mobilized to battle the fire that broke out after the blast and evacuate victims and residents in the area. Read more »

China’s Huawei fires employee detained in Poland

Eva Xiao, Agence France-Presse
Jan 12 11:56 PM

China's telecom giant distanced itself from the case amid Western concerns that it could act as a proxy for Chinese security services. Read more »