Author: AFP

N. Ireland marks 50 years since army deployment

LISBURN (United Kingdom): Remembering fallen comrades, veterans paraded Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of the British army’s deployment to Northern Ireland — a key moment in the Troubles. Hundreds of ex-service personnel attended the Northern Ireland Veterans Association (Niva) event in the city of Lisburn, south-west of Belfast. A

Seven killed, four missing in Indonesia ferry accident

KENDARI (Indonesia): Seven people, including two children, were killed and four others missing after a ferry carrying dozens of passengers caught fire off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island early Saturday, police said. The ferry, heading from Southeast Sulawesi to an island in Central Sulawesi, caught fire shortly after midnight. “Suddenly there were

One-person protests in Moscow

MOSCOW: Russian opposition activists held one-person protests in Moscow Saturday to demand free elections, as the wave of the Russian capital’s larger demonstrations took a breather this weekend. In a move to circumvent restrictions by the authorities, activists took turns to hold up protest signs as such demonstrations do not

Taiwan invites visitors to stay in govt office

FANCY spending the night in a presidential office? The unique accommodation is up for grabs in Taiwan, where authorities are rolling out the red carpet for visitors after the island’s tourism industry was hit by a Chinese ban on solo travellers. “I invite you to visit Taiwan and experience the

Romania’s ‘Roma palaces’ a status symbol for poor minority

AMID modest surroundings of fields or small towns, the so-called Roma palaces seem improbable, even outlandish, but reveal a quest for status within a marginalised and mostly poor minority. They began springing up in the early 1990s after the collapse of communism, when some in the Roma community came into

Easy credit a tough test for Russian economy

MOSCOW: New machines popping up in Russian shopping centres seem innocuous enough — users insert their passport and receive a small loan in a matter of minutes. But the devices, which dispense credit in Saint Petersburg malls at a sky-high annual rate of 365 percent, are another sign of a

American farmers struggle to stay afloat amid floods and trade war

NEW YORK: Caught in the middle of a trade war and hammered by massive spring floods, American farmers are facing a tough year and worry about their future, yet some still trust President Donald Trump. The situation worsened last week when Beijing halted purchases of US farm crops in retaliation

A not-so-good year as Chinaa’s 70th anniversary approaches

It was meant to be an unabashed celebration of the triumph of Communism in China, and of President Xi Jinping’s authority as the country’s undisputed leader for years to come. But as the People’s Republic of China approaches its 70th anniversary on October 1st, Xi finds himself battling threats on

Aussies rebuff calls for journalism protections

Australia’s conservative government is fighting efforts to introduce legal protections for journalists — instead vowing to jail whistleblowers and reporters, and to uphold laws that treat handling leaked information as akin to handling stolen property. The government has come under pressure to safeguard freedom of the press after controversial police

Man City seek Spurs revenge

LONDON: Manchester City will seek revenge against Tottenham on Saturday for their dramatic Champions League exit last season as Liverpool and Manchester United also look to build on impressive Premier League starts this weekend. City completed the first ever domestic treble of trophies in England last season, but fell short