Ottawa, Canada | AFP | Beijing on Wednesday protested the arrest in Canada of Chinese national Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of global telecommunications giant Huawei, and urged her immediate release as she faces extradition to the United States. “At the request of the US side, the Canadian side …
Read More »Satellite images show activity at N. Korean missile base: CNN
Washington, United States | AFP | North Korea has expanded a key long-range missile base in the months since a summit between the country’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump, according to satellite images published by CNN on Wednesday. The two men met in Singapore in June …
Read More »Zuckerberg defends Facebook in new data breach controversy
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg pushed back Wednesday against emails showing the social media giant offering Netflix and other popular apps preferential access to people’s data even after it had tightened its privacy rules. A British parliamentary committee investigating whether the social media behemoth was …
Read More »ICC members back court, but urge it to speed up work
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | Countries signed up to the International Criminal Court renewed their backing Wednesday for the embattled global legal body, targeted by the Trump administration, but urged it to speed up its work. “The European Union strongly supports the International Criminal Court and its work as …
Read More »May accused of misleading MPs over Brexit deal
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May was accused on Wednesday of misleading MPs over her Brexit deal as her government published legal advice likely to increase opposition to the agreement ahead of a crucial vote next week. Scottish National Party (SNP) lawmaker Ian Blackford was …
Read More »EU steps up fake news fight before elections
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | The European Union launched Wednesday a system for member countries to alert each other to online disinformation spread by opponents such as Russia to undermine next year’s key elections. The bloc also urged Facebook and other social media platforms to follow through on pledges to …
Read More »Spain court upholds disputed sex abuse gang sentence
Madrid, Spain | AFP | A Spanish court Wednesday upheld a disputed nine-year jail term for to five men who sexually abused a woman, despite two out of five judges believing the gang committed rape and calling for tougher sentences. The men were accused of raping the woman, then aged …
Read More »Putin rejects US claim Russia breaking arms treaty
Moscow, Russia | AFP | President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday dismissed US claims Russia is violating a major Cold War treaty limiting mid-range nuclear arms, as a senior general lashed out at Washington’s attempts to “contain” Moscow. The tense rhetoric comes a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said …
Read More »US urges UN to condemn Iran missile test
United Nations, United States | AFP | The United States on Tuesday urged the UN Security Council to condemn Iran for carrying out a ballistic missile test, describing the launch as dangerous and a violation of a UN resolution. The council met behind closed doors at the request of France …
Read More »Cameras, drones: Rio de Janeiro to put electronic eyes on crime
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Rio de Janeiro state is moving ahead with plans to deploy security cameras and drones to help fight crime, according to its next governor, a far-right politician loyal to president-elect Jair Bolsonaro. A tender to install 30,000 cameras will be launched soon, Wilson …
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