World

2nd wave of protests caps week focused on climate action

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:35pm
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BERLIN (AP) — Students took to the streets across the globe in the hundreds of thousands Friday for a second wave of worldwide protests demanding swift action on climate change.

The protests were inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who spoke to world leaders this week at a United Nations summit in New York.

Kremlin: Hopes US wouldn’t release Trump-Putin calls

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:34pm

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia voiced hope Friday that the U.S. administration wouldn’t publish private conversations between the two nations’ presidents, like it did with Ukraine.

The rough transcript of Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy released by the White House Wednesday shows that Trump urged Ukraine to “look into” his Democratic political rival Joe Biden. The July 25 call is now the focus of a U.S. impeachment probe.

UK’s Boris Johnson defends his fraught Brexit language

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:34pm
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LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday rebuffed allegations that he was whipping up social divisions with charged language about his Brexit opponents, saying the only way to calm the simmering tensions was to stop delaying and leave the European Union.

During raucous, ill-tempered parliamentary debates this week, Johnson said postponing the country’s departure would “betray” the people, referred to an opposition law ordering a Brexit delay as the “Surrender Act” and brushed off concerns that his forceful language might endanger legislators as “humbug.”

Iran releases seized UK-flagged tanker

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:33pm

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A British-flagged oil tanker held by Iran since July was released Friday and was heading toward the United Arab Emirates, the company that owns the vessel said.

Iran’s marine and port authority said the Stena Impero left Iran Friday morning. Hours earlier, the tanker had begun transmitting its location for the first time in weeks just outside the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, where it had been held since its July 19 seizure.

IN SHORT

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:33pm

More than 100 dolphins die on island beach off West Africa

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Authorities in the Cape Verde islands off West Africa are waiting for experts from Spain to help determine why more than 100 dolphins died on a local beach.

Local media report that around 200 melon-headed dolphins were found on a beach on Boa Vista island on Tuesday. Officials, residents and tourists managed to drag some of them back out to sea, but many returned.

Bulldozers buried 136 dead dolphins.

Prince Harry walks through Angola mine field, echoing Diana

Published on Fri, 09/27/2019 - 1:31pm
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A body armor-wearing Prince Harry on Friday followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, whose walk through an active mine field in Angola years ago helped to lead to a global ban on the deadly weapons.

Prospects of war and chances for peace dominate UN speeches

Published on Thu, 09/26/2019 - 2:50pm
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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Prospects for war and peace from the Middle East to Europe, Africa and Latin America dominated the second day of the annual gathering of world leaders Wednesday, reflecting the complex global landscape where conflicts persist and terrorism is spreading.

Iran remained foremost on everyone’s mind, as leaders echoed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ warning that above all, the world faces “the alarming possibility of armed conflict in the Gulf” with consequences “the world cannot afford.”

Leaders at the UN, in their own words

Published on Thu, 09/26/2019 - 2:42pm

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Lots of leaders saying lots of things about lots of topics — topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world.

That’s what the speechmaking at the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year. And each year, certain enormous topics and certain louder voices dominate.

Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts you might not have heard — the voices of leaders speaking at the United Nations who might not have captured the headlines and the airtime on Wednesday, the second day of 2019 debate.

As attack drones multiply, Israeli develop defenses

Published on Thu, 09/26/2019 - 2:42pm

YEHUD, Israel (AP) — Israel, one of the pioneers of drone warfare, is now on the front lines of an arms race to protect against attacks by the unmanned aircraft.

A host of Israeli companies have developed defense systems they say can detect or destroy incoming drones. But obstacles remain, particularly when operating in crowded urban airspaces.

“Fighting these systems is really hard ... not just because you need to detect them, but you also need to detect them everywhere and all the time,” said Ulrike Franke, a policy fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations.

IN SHORT

Published on Thu, 09/26/2019 - 2:41pm

Officials install radar to better monitor Mont Blanc glacier

COURMAYEUR, Italy (AP) — Authorities have installed a radar system to better monitor a massive area of a fast-moving glacier on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif that risks breaking off and striking a tourist valley.

The radar system installed Thursday provides constant data on movements of even millimeters. That compares with the satellite photo monitoring already in place, which requires clear skies and between six and 12 days to get comparative images.