WORLD

Denpasar, Indonesia | AFP | A volcano on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali sent plumes of grey smoke and steam thousands of metres into the air Sunday for the third day in a week, triggering flight cancellations which have left thousands of tourists stranded, officials said Sunday. Mount Agung …

Shanghai, China | AFP | A major explosion hit China’s major port city of Ningbo on Sunday, killing at least two people, injuring dozens and wrecking buildings, state media and local authorities said. The Ningbo government said on a social media account that the blast occurred in a “vacant lot” …

THIS WEEK: FDP pulls out of Germany coalition talks Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The possibility of forming a coalition government in Germany collapsed after the free-market liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) pulled out of the initiative on the night of Nov.19 after four weeks of talks with Chancellor Angela …

Washington, United States | AFP | Both sides of the US political divide are defending Malia Obama’s right to privacy after a video went viral showing the eldest daughter of former president Barack Obama apparently smoking. Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump were among the numerous defenders of Malia, 19, on …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed into law new rules on international media organisations present in Russia being termed “foreign agents”, following US pressure on the Kremlin-backed RT television channel. Already approved by both houses of parliament, the legislation was published on the Russian authorities’ …

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Saturday for countries to unify their efforts against “terrorism” as he condemned an attack on a mosque in Egypt that left 305 people dead. “Israel strongly condemns the horrific and criminal terrorist attack on the Rawda mosque near El-Arish,” …

Coatzacoalcos, Mexico | AFP | A municipal mayor in Mexico’s violent eastern state of Veracruz was killed Friday, local authorities said, just four days after a mayor-elect was murdered in the same state. Victor Manuel Espinoza — mayor of Ixhuatlan de Madero, located some 270 kilometers (168 miles) northeast of …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump condemned as “horrible and cowardly” a bomb and gun attack Friday that killed more than 200 people at a mosque in Egypt and called his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to offer condolences. “The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat …

Chicago, United States | AFP | A twitter post in late October from Kansas policeman Ben Gardner featured a large cow curled up on top of a BMW sedan’s hood. The message from the spokesman for the Midwestern US state’s highway patrol department was that animals seek warm cars during …

Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron named a Socialist lawmaker to a top budget post as part of a cabinet shuffle unveiled Friday, following grumblings from leftists who accuse his centrist government of favouring the rich. The moves were prompted by the nomination of Macron’s ultra-loyal government spokesman, …