Austria gets first female chancellor
VIENNA: Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen appointed the head of the country?s consitutional court as Austria?s first female chancellor Thursday to lead an interim government until elections later in the year. ?I will seek to win Austrians? trust,? Bierlein said alongside Van der Bellen in a televised statement Thursday, saying she would hold talks with political parties and ...
China against unilateral sanctions against Iran: FM Spokesperson
BEIJING, May 30 (APP):China is against the unilateral sanctions against Iran and maintains normal relations and economic and trade exchanges with Iran, which is legal and legitimate and should be respected, a Chinese foreign ministry?s spokesperson said on Thursday. ?China is consistently against the so-called ?long-arm jurisdiction? and unilateral sanctions based on domestic laws, which the US, in particular, ...
WikiLeaks' Assange too ill to appear via video link in US extradition hearing
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was too ill on Thursday to appear via video link from a British prison in a hearing on an extradition request from the United States, his lawyer said. Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who was presiding over the case, added: ?He?s not very well.? WikiLeaks said it had grave concerns about Assange?s health and that he had ...
China, Pakistan militaries to organize joint exercise, training this year: Chinese Defense Ministry
BEIJING, May 30 (APP):China and Pakistan militaries will continue to maintain a good momentum of relations and high-level exchanges and actively conduct cooperation in different services this year, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.
Modi sworn in for second term as Indian prime minister
Narendra Modi has been sworn in for a second term as India?s prime minister after an overwhelming election victory for his Hindu nationalist party in a country of 1.3 billion people seeking swift economic change.
Malaysia to let Australia’s Lynas continue running rare earths plant: PM Mahathir
Mahathir?s comments remove the uncertainty that had been hanging over the future of Lynas? $800 million plant after Malaysia halted the process for renewing its licence because of waste disposal concerns. Shares in the Australian company surged to the highest in more than five years on Thursday after Chinese newspapers, including the official People?s Daily, said on Wednesday that ...
Hungary sees 2020 economic growth at around 4pc: minister
BUDAPEST: Hungary’s economy is expected to grow by around 4 percent next year, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga told a news conference on Thursday as he announced a raft of fiscal stimulus measures. Varga said higher economic growth next year could boost state revenues, offsetting some of the impact of cuts in the payroll tax and other taxes.
White House’s Kushner in Jerusalem for Israeli talks
JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump?s son-in-law and aide Jared Kushner was in Jerusalem on Thursday as part of a Middle East trip focused on the White House?s expected plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Jordan?s King Abdullah II insisted during Kushner?s visit Wednesday on the ?need to intensify efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, ...
Six dead in suicide blast at Kabul military academy
KABUL: At least six people were killed and six more wounded in a suicide blast outside a military academy in the Afghan capital on Thursday, an official said. ?Based on initial information, six people killed, six wounded, police have reached the scene,? Faramarz said. Police and security forces in and around Kabul have come under frequent attack in recent ...
China accuses US of ‘naked economic terrorism’
The debate between CGTN?s Liu Xin and Fox Business?s Trish Regan was civil, with the American journalist saying ?I appreciate you being here? and the Chinese anchor inviting her to come to China, adding ?I?ll take you around?. The party?s mouthpiece, The People?s Daily, warned in an editorial on Wednesday that rare earths could be used as a counter-measure, ...
African free trade zone takes effect: African Union
ADDIS ABABA: An African free-trade zone came into force Thursday, a step toward creating what the African Union (AU) hopes will be a continent-wide market of 1.2 billion people worth $2.5 trillion. ?We celebrate the triumph of bold, pragmatic and continent-wide commitment to economic integration.? The African Continental Free Trade Area had been ratified by 22 countries by April 29, ...
Seven South Koreans die in Budapest tourist boat tragedy
The Mermaid sightseeing boat collided with a much larger passenger cruise vessel on the Danube in the heart of Budapest on Wednesday evening and went down in just seven seconds, police said. ?The footage shows that before the collision the Mermaid turned towards the Viking Sigyn cruise boat, for some reason, the Viking then turned the small boat over, ...
Strong 6.6 magnitude earthquake rocks El Salvador: USGS
SAN SALVADOR: A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of El Salvador on Thursday near the capital San Salvador, the US Geological Survey said. President-elect Nayib Bukele said on Twitter that the earthquake was felt ?throughout 100 percent of the country.? No casualties or damage have been reported so far but police and firemen are fanning out across the ...
Israel heads to new election after Netanyahu stumbles
But as Wednesday?s midnight deadline to form a coalition approached, Netanyahu was unable to convince ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman to abandon a key demand and join the government. The vote followed raucous moments in parliament that saw opposition members chant ?shame!? It prevented Netanyahu?s nightmare scenario of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin naming someone else to try to form a government, ...
Sri Lanka president slams intel chief over Easter attacks
In a statement, Sirisena denied claims by Mendis that the country?s highest security body had not met as often as it should have around the time of the attacks blamed on Islamic State-backed militants. Sirisena, who is also defence minister, said in a statement he held NSC meetings twice a week, contradicting Mendis who told parliament the last meeting ...
Ukrainian parliament rejects prime minister’s resignation
KIEV: Ukraine?s parliament voted to reject Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman?s resignation on Thursday, with the largest faction arguing his resignation would lead to ?chaos? before a snap election due in July.
Italy, Malta rescue stricken migrants in Mediterranean
VALLETTA: The Italian navy rescued 100 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean on Thursday, as 75 other migrants found clinging to a tuna pen were taken to Malta, officials said. Alarm Phone, which is operated by German association Watch the Med, said the Italian vessel could have rescued the stricken migrants ?nearly a day ago?. The UN refugee agency said ...
Indian economy in focus as Modi starts second term without key aide
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take his oath of office on Thursday (today) along with his ministers, though he suffered a setback at the start of his second term when key aide and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley?opted out?of the next government. Modi and the chief of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amit Shah, could also promote ...
Millions at risk of child labour in manufacturing hubs, say researchers
?Child labour is still prevalent across many sectors and if countries aren?t taking action it is up to companies to see they have the tools to ensure it?s not happening under their watch.? There are about 150 million child labourers around the world, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the majority working on farms in Africa and Asia. A ...
7 killed as Hungarian boat carrying South Korean tourists capsizes on Danube
The boat reportedly collided with another tourist vessel near the Hungarian parliament building, before turning over on the river, which has been flooding, with very strong currents, while a rainstorm enveloped Budapest In Seoul, the foreign ministry said the South Koreans aboard the vessel when it sank were 30 tourists and three tour guides, in addition to the crew of ...
