World

Dorian lashes east Canada, then weakens, heads to sea

Published on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 4:11pm

TORONTO (AP) — The storm that already walloped the Virgin Islands, Bahamas and North Carolina lashed at far-eastern Canada with hurricane-force winds for much of Sunday, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people before weakening and heading into the North Atlantic.

Dorian had hit near the city of Halifax Saturday afternoon, ripping roofs off apartment buildings, toppling a huge construction crane and uprooting trees. There were no reported deaths in Canada, though the storm was blamed for at least 50 elsewhere along its path.

Hong Kong tells US to stay out; students form chains

Published on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 4:11pm

HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of students formed human chains outside schools across Hong Kong on Monday to show solidarity after violent weekend clashes between police and activists seeking democratic reforms in the semiautonomous Chinese territory.

The silent protest came as the Hong Kong government condemned the “illegal behavior of radical protesters” and warned the U.S. to stay out of its affairs.

Brexit crisis grows; opposition rejects snap election call

Published on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 3:22pm
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s bedeviling Brexit dilemma intensified Friday, as opposition parties refused to support Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s call for an election until he secures a delay to Britain’s exit from the European Union — something he vows he’ll never do.

Johnson insists Britain must leave the EU in 55 days, and says an election is the only way to break the deadlock that has seen lawmakers repeatedly reject the divorce deal on offer, but also block attempts to leave the EU without one.

H&M stops buying leather from Brazil

Published on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 3:22pm

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Low-cost fashion retailer H&M said Friday it is suspending leather purchases from Brazil to make sure it is not supporting cattle farming that may be contributing to the fires in the Amazon rainforest.

The move by the Stockholm-based company follows a similar decision by the maker of Vans and Timberland shoes. Some international investors are also trying to put pressure on the Brazilian government, which has been seen as too lax in its approach to protecting the rainforest.

US defense chief cautions Europe to be wary of China

Published on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 3:21pm

LONDON (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper cautioned European allies against cozying up to China, arguing on Friday that Beijing seeks greater global influence by leveraging economic power and stealing technology.

“The more dependent a country becomes on Chinese investment and trade, the more susceptible they are to coercion and retribution when they act outside of Beijing’s wishes,” Esper said in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank.

Protests continue in Hong Kong despite bill’s withdrawal

Published on Fri, 09/06/2019 - 3:20pm

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong protesters besieged a police station and a subway stop on Friday in continuing defiance despite the government’s promise to kill a proposed law that sparked months of demonstrations in the semiautonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced two days ago that her government will formally withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China for trial. Many saw it as a glaring example of the city’s eroding autonomy since the former British colony returned to Chinese control in 1997.

Iran poised for centrifuges as nuclear deal collapses

Published on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 3:36pm
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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran was poised Thursday to begin work on advanced centrifuges that will enrich uranium faster as the 2015 nuclear deal unravels further and a last-minute French proposal offering a $15-billion line of credit to compensate Iran for not being able to sell its crude oil abroad because of U.S. sanctions looked increasingly unlikely.

Meanwhile, Iran released seven crew members from a detained British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero in a goodwill gesture and the mariners flew out of Iran, the ship’s owner said.

HK leader: Bill withdrawal own decision, not Beijing’s

Published on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 3:35pm

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Thursday that the decision to withdraw an extradition bill that sparked months of demonstrations in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory was her government’s own initiative to break the impasse, and not Beijing’s directive. Lam told a news conference that China’s central government “understands, respects and supports” her government in the entire process.

Johnson’s brother jumps ship

Published on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 3:35pm

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s bad week got even worse Thursday when younger brother Jo walked away from his government post over their differing stances on Brexit.

It was clearly a difficult decision for Jo Johnson, who had returned to government as an education minister when his big brother replaced Theresa May as prime minister in July. Jo Johnson had quit May’s government last year and argued that Britain should have another vote over its decision to leave the European Union.

Taliban blast kills US soldier, civilians

Published on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 3:34pm

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A Taliban car bomb exploded and killed U.S. and Romanian service members and 10 civilians in a busy diplomatic area near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Thursday, the second major attack this week as the Afghan government warned that a U.S.-Taliban deal on ending America’s longest war was moving at dangerous speed.