Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The nuclear weapons disarmament campaigners awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize denounced US President Donald Trump’s decision on Friday to decertify the Iran nuclear deal, saying it makes proliferation more likely. “President Trump’s rejection of the JCPOA is an incitement to proliferation, makes achieving further agreements …
Read More »The 2015 Iran nuclear deal
Tehran, Iran | AFP |Â US President Donald Trump on Friday declared a more aggressive strategy on a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers but stopped short of withdrawing from the 2015 deal. Struck in Vienna by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, …
Read More »Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez to host telethon for hurricane victims
Miami, United States | AFP |Â Celebrities including Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Stevie Wonder are set to appear Saturday night at a telethon for those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Appearing from both Miami and Los Angeles, performers will raise funds to provide food, shelter, medicine, electricity and …
Read More »US House approves $36 bn for disasters including Puerto Rico
Washington, United States | AFP |Â The US House of Representatives on Thursday easily approved a $36.5 billion disaster relief package for hurricane-affected communities like Puerto Rico, and for areas devastated by wildfires including those in California. The measure outlining “supplemental” disaster spending passed 353 to 69, with all votes in …
Read More »Men dominate American Music Awards nominations
New York, United States | AFP |Â Bruno Mars, Drake and Ed Sheeran led nominations Thursday for the American Music Awards, where for the first time no women were vying for the top prize. In the televised gala, set for November 19 in Los Angeles, winners are determined by fan voting, …
Read More »US, Israel pull out of UN cultural body over ‘anti-Israel’ bias
Paris, France | AFP |Â The United States and its ally Israel said Thursday they were pulling out of the UN’s culture and education body, in a move that underlined Washington’s drift away from international institutions. The US decision, announced in Washington, follows years of tension at the organisation which it …
Read More »California fires kill 31, deadliest in state’s history
Santa Rosa, United States | AFP |Â The death toll from raging California wildfires rose to 31 Thursday as body recovery teams used cadaver dogs to locate victims, making it the deadliest series of blazes in the state’s history. The fires, which began on Sunday, have swept through California’s wine country, …
Read More »Erdogan accuses US of ‘sacrificing’ relations with Turkey
Ankara, Turkey | AFP |Â President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said the US was in danger of “sacrificing” its relations with Turkey, as he blamed the American envoy to Ankara for the crisis in relations between the NATO allies. “It is the ambassador here who caused this,” Erdogan told a …
Read More »Kaspersky in focus as US-Russia cyber-tensions rise
Washington, United States | AFP |Â The security software firm Kaspersky has become the focal point in an escalating conflict in cyberspace between the United States and Russia. The Russian-based company has been accused of being a vehicle for hackers to steal security secrets from the US National Security Agency, and …
Read More »Beyonce charity song finally dethrones ‘Despacito’
New York, United States | AFP |Â Beyonce’s Spanish-language remix of “Mi Gente” for hurricane relief opened Wednesday on top of the US Latin song chart, finally dethroning the global mega-hit “Despacito.” “Mi Gente,” which Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin created from the African dance rhythms of French DJ Willy William, …
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