WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | The United States slapped sanctions on Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov on Wednesday, accusing Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s key regional ally of personal involvement in repression, torture and murder. Kadyrov was added to the US Treasury’s blacklist along with Chechen security official Ayub Kataev and …

Luxembourg, Luxembourg | AFP | The EU’s top court will decide Wednesday if ride-hailing app Uber is an ordinary taxi company and should be regulated as such, in a decision that will be closely watched around the world. The case is yet another thorn in the side for scandal-rocked Uber, which …

United Nations, United States | AFP | US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday warned countries that she will report back to President Donald Trump with the names of those who support a draft resolution rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The UN General Assembly will hold an …

Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Bitcoin prices plunged about 15 percent in Asian trade Wednesday before recouping some of the losses as investors apparently took fright at news that a South Korean exchange had been hacked. The unit, which hit a record $19,500 at the start of the week, took a …

Washington, United States | AFP | The Republican-controlled US Congress was on the cusp Tuesday of passing a landmark tax overhaul, securing a legislative triumph for Donald Trump as the first year of his presidency draws to a close. The House was set to debate and vote on the contentious …

Washington, United States | AFP | The White House on Tuesday publicly accused North Korea of launching a massive cyberattack that hit 150 countries last May — hobbling networks from Britain’s public health system to FedEx. “After careful investigation, the United States is publicly attributing the massive ‘WannaCry’ cyberattack to …

Bogota, Colombia | AFP | Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Tuesday named a former vice president as chief negotiator in peace talks with rebels from the National Liberation Army (ELN). In a meeting with journalists, Santos said Gustavo Bell would replace Juan Camilo Restrepo after the latter announced that …

Dhaka, Bangladesh | AFP | Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees from January, despite rights groups warning that their safety is still not assured should they return. The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Myanmar met in Dhaka to finalise the agreement signed on …

Paris, France | AFP | Sixty-five journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2017, according to annual figures published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday. Among them were 50 professional reporters, the lowest toll in 14 years. However, the downward trend is due at least in part to journalists …

New York, United States | AFP | Bitcoin burst out of the shadows in 2017, seducing Wall Street and individual investors alike even though many still struggle to understand precisely what it is. The cryptocurrency’s rise is also pushing regulators to consider taking action after years of simply urging caution. Bitcoin …