WORLD

Shenzhen, China | AFP | Huawei’s sales unexpectedly rose in the first half of the year, company figures showed Tuesday, as executives admitted US sanctions would bring further challenges in the coming months. The Chinese tech giant has been under immense pressure this year as Washington has lobbied allies worldwide to …

Washington, United States | AFP |  When Barack Obama was elected as America’s first black president in 2008, many believed it was a watershed moment for a country bearing the scars of slavery. Just over a decade later, as the 2020 presidential campaign heats up, the divisive issue of race …

New York, United States | AFP |  A contrarian businessman with a penchant for fashion and a boyish smile, rapper A$AP Rocky has risen out of poverty in Harlem to become one of contemporary hip hop’s VIPs in the past decade. Now the 30-year-old artist faces trial on Tuesday, as …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s choice of a lawmaker with limited experience to oversee the massive US intelligence community has sparked concerns over the possible politicization of crucial national security decisions. Trump announced the nomination Sunday of Republican Representative John Ratcliffe to replace Dan Coats as Director …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump branded African-American civil rights activist Al Sharpton a “con man” on Monday, sparking further charges of racism following his recent tirades against prominent black lawmakers. The attack followed a weekend during which Trump drew fire for targeting Elijah Cummings, a Democratic …

  London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds moved into Downing Street on Monday, becoming the first unmarried couple to occupy the British prime minister’s official residence. The change of guard at the famous address was prompted by Theresa May’s forced resignation under the …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump was hit with new accusations of racism Saturday after he attacked a prominent African-American lawmaker and branded the majority black city of Baltimore an “infested mess.” Trump’s outburst came in a series of sharply worded tweets aimed at Democratic Representative Elijah …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP |  Reporters investigating Russian military intelligence have been targeted by highly sophisticated cyberattacks through their encrypted email accounts, with evidence suggesting Moscow was responsible, the email service provider ProtonMail and journalists said Saturday. The phishing attack, which sought to dupe users into sharing their ProtonMail passwords, was …

Washington, United States | AFP |  For the first time since the Great Recession a decade ago, the US Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates, shoring up America’s defenses as the global economy weakens. It will mark a striking about-face for the central bank, reversing a rate increase announced just …

Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday said Brexit was a “massive economic opportunity” but had been treated under his predecessor Theresa May as “an impending adverse weather event”. In a speech in Manchester where he pledged new investment in Leave-voting areas, Johnson promised to …