UN to probe Philippines drug war deaths
GENEVA – The UN Human Rights Council has voted to set up an investigation into mass killings during Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called ‘war on drugs’, a step that activists…
Brazil’s Bolsonaro offers his son the post of ambassador in Washington
BRASILIA – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says he has invited his son Eduardo to become ambassador to the United States, underscoring his family’s influential role in the country’s diplomacy and…
Death toll in migrant ship disaster off Tunisia coast rises to 58
TUNIS – The death toll from a ship packed with African migrants that sank off the Tunisian coast last week has risen to 58 after Tunisia recovered 38 bodies on…
Australia banks, shops getting back online after service outage
SYDNEY – Australian banks and retailers are getting back online after a nationwide telecoms outage knocked out electronic payment systems and cash machines for several hours. Telstra, the country’s biggest…
Taiwan president leaves for US, warns of threat from ‘overseas forces’
TAOYUAN, Taiwan – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has left for the United States on a trip that has angered Beijing, warning democracy must be defended and the island faced threats…
Amnesty International calls on S.Korea to end discrimination of gay soldiers
SEOUL – Amnesty International has called on South Korea to decriminalise same-sex relationships for men in the military, warning current laws fuel violence, discrimination and stigmatisation against gay soldiers. The…
Study finds possible link between sugary drinks and cancer
LONDON – People who drink a lot of sugary drinks have a higher risk of developing cancer, although the evidence cannot establish a direct causal link, researchers said. The findings…
Calls for justice, intervention as Philippines buries drug war’s youngest known victim
RODRIGUEZ, Philippines – One by one, a mother and her children splash holy water over a white coffin barely a metre long. On the dirt floor beneath it lies a…
UK’s May backs ambassador branded “a pompous fool” by Trump
LONDON – Prime Minister Theresa May has given her “full support” to Britain’s Washington envoy but Donald Trump attacked the “wacky Ambassador” whose leaked memo had described the US president’s…
Hong Kong leader says extradition bill is dead, but critics unconvinced
HONG KONG – Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the extradition bill that sparked the Chinese-ruled city’s biggest crisis in decades is dead and that government work on the legislation…
