World
Elton John blasts relentless character assassination of Harry and Meghan
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres spoke out on Monday in support of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, calling them a down-to-earth and hardworking couple who were being unfairly attacked by...
U.S. envoy offers farm visas to boost asylum deal with Guatemala
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – In a bid to strengthen an asylum deal forged between Guatemala’s outgoing president and the United States, a U.S. official offered on Monday to triple the number of temporary farmworker visas available to Guatemalans. Last month, under threat of painful sanctions issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, Guatemala’s Jimmy Morales agreed...
Elderly in Hong Kong looking to China for affordable care in retirement
HONG KONG (Reuters) – After spending time with his 84-year-old mother in a senior care home in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, David Lee walked up to the supervisor and asked to reserve a place there for his own retirement. Lee, a 56-year-old from just across the border in Hong Kong, moved his mother,...
In retrial, El Salvador acquits woman accused of killing her stillborn child
CIUDAD DELGADO, El Salvador (Reuters) – A Salvadoran court on Monday acquitted a woman accused of homicide after giving birth to a stillborn baby in a case that drew international attention to the socially conservative nation’s strict abortion ban. Evelyn Hernandez, 21, was previously convicted of intentionally inducing an abortion and had already served three...
Canada’s Trudeau under pressure after Britain revokes citizenship of ‘Jihadi Jack’
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under pressure on Monday from the opposition Conservatives who warned against giving any assistance to Jack Letts – a dual citizen dubbed “Jihadi Jack” by the media – after Britain’s decision to strip him of his British citizenship. Letts, who had dual Canadian-British citizenship, said he...
Global network’s nuclear sensors in Russia went offline after mystery blast
VIENNA (Reuters) – The operator of a global network of radioactive-particle sensors said on Monday its two Russian sites closest to a mysterious explosion went offline days after the blast, soon followed by two more, fuelling suspicions that Russia tampered with them. The Russian Defence Ministry, which operates the two stations, did not immediately reply...
UK’s Johnson tells Germany and France: do a Brexit deal
TRURO, England/LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on France and Germany on Monday to change their position on Brexit and negotiate a new exit deal for Britain, reiterating his stance that he is ready to leave the European Union without a deal if they do not. With Britain set to leave the bloc...
Hong Kong leader sees ‘way out’ of chaos through dialogue
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday she hoped a peaceful weekend anti-government protest was the start of an effort to restore peace and that dialogue with peaceful protesters would provide a “way out” for the Chinese-ruled city. Hundreds of thousands of protesters rallied peacefully in torrential rain on Sunday...
Besieged Kashmiri neighborhood in test of wills with India’s Modi
SRINAGAR (Reuters) – For more than a week, the young men of Soura, a densely populated enclave in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, have been taking turns to maintain an around-the-clock vigil at the entry points to their neighborhood. Each of the dozen or so entrances have been blocked with makeshift barricades of bricks, corrugated...
Iran tanker heads to Greece, U.S. warns against helping vessel
DUBAI (Reuters) – An Iranian tanker at the center of an angry confrontation between Iran and Washington sailed for Greece on Monday after it was freed from detention off Gibraltar, as Washington called the release unfortunate and warned Greece and Mediterranean ports against helping the vessel. Tehran said any U.S. move to seize the vessel...
Kuwait’s Emir has recovered after health setback: state news agency
DUBAI (Reuters) – Kuwait’s elderly ruler, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah has recovered from a health setback and is “in a good condition now”, the state news agency KUNA reported on Sunday. It cited the Acting Emiri Diwan Minister Mohammad Dhaifallah Sharar as saying that the 90-year-old Sheikh Sabah had gone through a medical checkup...
Italy’s 5-Star says Salvini no longer a credible partner
ROME/LUCCA (Reuters) – Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement said on Sunday that Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League, was no longer a credible partner, apparently closing the door on any possibility of resurrecting the ruling coalition. Top brass of 5-Star met on Sunday at the villa of the movement’s founder, comedian Beppe Grillo, to discuss...
Portugal’s fuel-tanker drivers call off strike to negotiate
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s fuel-tanker drivers voted on Sunday to call off an indefinite strike, with their union agreeing to negotiate with employers in government-brokered talks due on Tuesday. Demanding better salaries and working conditions, the National Hazardous Goods Drivers’ Union (SNMMP) started striking on Monday after negotiations with their employers’ association ANTRAM failed. It...
Israel fires on militants at Gaza border, Palestinians say three killed
JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinian gunmen as they tried to cross the Gaza border, the military said on Sunday and Palestinian health officials said three of the men were killed. “A short while ago, IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troops spotted a number of armed suspects adjacent to the...
Relieved Thomas wins BMW Championship by three strokes over Cantlay
(Reuters) – Justin Thomas faltered in the final round at the BMW Championship on Sunday but held on for an ultimately comfortable three-stroke victory at Medinah in suburban Chicago. He carded a closing four-under 68 to finish on a 25-under-par total of 263, while fellow American Patrick Cantlay shot a 65 for second place on...
WTA roundup: Keys downs Kuznetsova to win Cincinnati title
Madison Keys served 13 aces and won the fifth singles title of her career on Sunday when she posted a 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati. The 16th-seeded Keys registered 43 winners while overcoming 33 unforced errors to outlast Kuznetsova in one hour,...
Marathon man Medvedev beats Goffin for Cincinnati crown
(Reuters) – Russian Daniil Medvedev survived cramps and tantrum where he cracked a racquet to clinch his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win over David Goffin in the final of the Cincinnati Masters. Medvedev saved two breaks points while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set before...
U.N. pleads for more help to relieve Venezuelan refugee crisis
BRASILIA (Reuters) – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi appealed on Sunday for more humanitarian aid for Venezuelan refugees pouring into neighboring countries where they are overwhelming social services and sparking local tensions. Grandi had planned to visit the Brazilian border town of Pacaraima this weekend, but authorities advised him to cancel due...
Canary Islands authorities evacuate 4,000 as wildfire spreads
TEJEDA, Spain (Reuters) – A wildfire sweeping across Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands led to the evacuation of 4,000 people on Sunday and officials warned tackling the blaze was being complicated by a combination of high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity. The wildfire, which started on Saturday close to the town of Tejeda,...
Chinese embassy tells Canada to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs
OTTAWA (Reuters) – China’s embassy in Ottawa warned Canada on Sunday to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs a day after the country issued a joint statement with the European Union in defense of the “fundamental right of assembly” for Hong Kong citizens. Hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters rallied peacefully in Hong Kong on...
19th August
Not your father’s Peronists: Why Macri flopped with young Argentines
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – For Luis Joaquin Caro, who was about 2 years old when Argentina last defaulted on its debt in 2001, casting his vote for left-leaning Peronist candidate Alberto Fernandez in the country’s recent primary election was a no-brainer. “During the Kirchner years, I lived very well,” he said, referring to what now...
China’s State Council calls for Shenzhen integration with Hong Kong, Macau
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s State Council has called for greater development of the southern city of Shenzhen and the integration of its culture and economy with neighboring Hong Kong and Macau. The directive comes as anti-government protests in Hong Kong threaten the status of the Asian financial hub. Hong Kong, one of the world’s busiest...
Cathay Pacific shares rise 2.3 percent after CEO Hogg resigns
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Shares of Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) rose more than 2 percent early on Monday after CEO Rupert Hogg resigned in a shock move, as the carrier grapples with the involvement of some of its employees in the city’s anti-government protests. Cathay’s shares rose as much as 2.3 percent to HK$10.84, their...
Spain makes new offer to charity boat with migrants on board
MADRID/ROME (Reuters) – Spain on Sunday offered to allow a charity boat situated off the coast of Italy with more than 100 people on board to dock at the nearest Spanish port after the Open Arms charity rejected a plan to dock in Algeciras because it was too far away. The migrants, most of whom...
Malaysia court postpones biggest 1MDB trial involving ex-PM Najib
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – A Malaysian court on Monday postponed for a week the biggest of five trials linked to a multi-billion-dollar scam at state fund 1MDB and allegedly involving former prime minister Najib Razak. Najib, who lost a general election last year, has been hit with 42 criminal charges of graft and money laundering...
Islamic State claims Afghan wedding blast as families bury the dead
KABUL (Reuters) – The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility on Sunday for a suicide blast at a wedding reception in Afghanistan that killed 63 people, underlining the dangers the country faces even if the Taliban agrees to a pact with the United States. The Saturday night attack came as the Taliban and the United...
Hong Kong readies for more mass protests after huge, peaceful rally
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong is gearing up for more protests this week after hundreds of thousands of anti-government demonstrators braved heavy rain to rally peacefully on Sunday, marking a change to what have often been violent clashes. Sunday’s turnout of an estimated 1.7 million people, according to the rally’s organizers, showed that the...
Canada slams UK decision to ‘off-load’ Islamist fighter
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada said on Sunday that Britain’s decision to strip Jack Letts – dubbed “Jihadi Jack” by the media – of his British citizenship was an attempt to shift responsibility for what to do with him onto Canada, where he also has citizenship. A statement from Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s office...
India reimposes some curbs in Kashmir as stone-throwing spreads
SRINAGAR (Reuters) – Indian authorities reimposed restrictions on movement in parts of Kashmir’s biggest city, Srinagar, on Sunday after overnight clashes between residents and police in which dozens were injured, two senior officials and eyewitnesses said. Since Saturday there have been a series of protests against the decision on Aug. 5 by Prime Minister Narendra...
Trump says he will likely release Mideast peace plan after Israel elections
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would likely wait until after Israel’s Sept. 17 elections to release a peace plan for the region that was designed by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner. Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, is the main architect of a proposed $50 billion economic development plan for the...
