German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told an audience including U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that she supports a “free, independent press” and that Germany has good experience with mutual respect between the government and the media. Merkel was asked Saturday at the Munich Security Conference whether she doubts the quality of American newspaper reporting on domestic politics.
Category: World News
Netanyahu Says Israel, US To Form Team To Tackle Settlements
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he and US President Donald Trump agreed to set up a team to discuss settlements in the occupied West Bank, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. Netanyahu told his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem that during his recent visit to Washington, he and Trump agreed to establish teams on many areas, “even in areas we did not previously agree on.
At Least 30 Killed In Car Bomb Attack In Somalia
At least 30 people were killed in a huge car bomb blast at a busy market in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Sunday, officials said, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency confirmed the incident at Kawo-Gudey in Wadajir district, saying the casualties were both soldiers and civilians.
Federal government abandons Sable Island wind project 15 years after its launch
Horses on Sable Island, N.S., are shown in this undated handout photo. The harsh conditions and extreme isolation of Sable Island has forced Ottawa to abandon a wind project on the iconic crescent-shaped sandbar — more than 15 years after it launched the initiative.
Pembrokeshire director nominated for Wales Theatre Award
A POWERFUL bilingual play aimed at dispelling the myths of dementia has earned a Milford Haven director a Wales Theatre Awards 2017 nomination. The Torch Theatre ‘s artistic director Peter Doran, has been nominated in the Best Director category for Belonging/Perthyn, in association with Chapter Arts.
Nine More SITF Service Centres To Be Set Up To Resolve Indian Community Issues
The government will set up nine more Special Implementation Task Force service centre branches across the country to resolve issues affecting the Indian community in this country in a faster and more efficient manner. MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the first branch had been opened in Ipoh, Perak and more branches would be established in other locations including in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Pahang, Perak, Penang and Kedah.
UMNO, BN Roadshow To Explain Forex Trade Loss – Annuar Musa
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — UMNO and Barisan Nasional component parties will be going on a nationwide roadshow to inform the public about the special task force set up by the Cabinet to probe Bank Negara’s foreign exchange trading losses in the 1990s. UMNO Information Chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the roadshow, scheduled to start on Feb 25, was mooted following attempts by certain parties to question the need for task force and asking why the 1Malaysia Development Berhad issue was not given the same treatment.
Double Circuit Tripping On 275kV Selangau-Kemena Causes Power Outage
The power outage occurred at 6.26pm Sunday was due to a double circuit tripping of the 275kV Selangau-Kemena transmission line. Major areas affected were parts of Kuching, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Mukah and Sibu.
Taiwan News #8 + East Coast pix
Morning on the coast. I went out to Chris Gunson from Dubai, whom I met through the blog.
UAE seals deal with China’s CNPC for onshore oil project
The United Arab Emirates’ main state oil company has signed a deal giving China National Petroleum Company an 8 percent stake in a major onshore oil project. ADNOC has set aside 40 percent of the ADCO project for foreign partners.
Report: Israeli leader turned down regional peace initiative
An Israeli newspaper reported Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned down a regional peace initiative last year that was brokered by then-American Secretary of State John Kerry , in apparent contradiction to his stated goal of involving regional powers in resolving Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. Haaretz reported that Netanyahu took part in a secret summit that Kerry organized in the southern Jordanian port city of Aqaba last February and included Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Tamil Nadu: TV reporter stabbed by drug peddlers in Madurai
A 50-year-old Tamil TV channel reporter was allegedly stabbed and seriously injured by a gang of drug peddlers in Madurai, Tamil Nadu on Sunday, police said. Chandran, a reporter with Polimer TV, was attacked by four persons when he was buying milk at a grocery store near his house in P and T nagar this morning.
Shahabuddin brought to Delhi, lodged in jail 2 of Tihar prison
RJD leader and former MP Shahabuddin under tight security at New Delhi railway station for shifted to Tihar Central Jail from Patna in New Delhi on Sunday . Controversial RJD leader Shahabuddin, brought to Delhi by train early this morning, has been lodged in jail number 2 of Tihar prisons amid foolproof security.
BMC polls 2017: Aaditya Thackeray urges voters to vote keeping Aarey in mind
Expressing concern over a part of the Aarey forest being turned into a car shed and labour camp by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, Shiv Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday appealed to Mumbaikars to cast their vote in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls in favour of those parties who support its conservation. Attacking the ruling BJP government in the state, Thackeray tweeted, “It remains a crucial issue for the election, I have raised it in election rallies as this election decides environment wins or ego of government.”
Graham: Trump must punish Russia for election interference
A senior U.S. Republican senator urged President Donald Trump Sunday to take action against Russia over allegations that Moscow interfered in the election that brought him to power. U.S. intelligence officials have told Trump that Moscow tried to influence voters by hacking Democratic emails and trolling social media sites, but Trump has sought to downplay Russia’s role in the election.
Funding approved for two new community defibrillator devices in Oxenhope
PARISH councillors in Oxenhope have agreed to spend up to A 3,800 to equip their village with two publicly accessible defibrillators. Councillors voted in favour of the funding for the potentially life-saving devices, one of which will be situated at Oxenhope Railway Station and the other inside the disused phone booth in Leeming.
Iraq begins battle to reclaim Mosul’s west from IS
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the operation on state TV, saying government forces were moving to “liberate the people of Mosul from Daesh oppression and terrorism forever”, using the Arabic acronym for IS. US-led coalition jets struck militant positions southwest of Mosul early Sunday morning and militarised police fired artillery toward the city.
Handicrafts exports from northeast poised for quantum jump
New Delhi, Feb 19 – India’s north-eastern states, one of the richest in terms of eco-friendly crafts, exported handicrafts and handloom products to the tune of Rs 1,121.75 crore during the year 2015-16. The eight north-eastern states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura – are home to a large number of tribes and sub-tribes who bring into this region’s export basket, natural and handmade products from about 450 different communities.
14 die in snowfall, severe cold in Afghanistan
Kabul, Feb 19 – At least 14 persons have died in snowfall and freezing weather in Afghanistan, an official said on Sunday. Ten people died due to snowfall in Jawzjan and the neighbouring Saripul province on Sunday, while four others died in Badakhshan since early Saturday, Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying.
Food processing can generate $33 bn in funds, 9 mn jobs by 2024: Study
New Delhi, Feb 19 – The Indian food processing sector has the potential to attract $33 billion of investment and generate nine million person-days of employment by 2024, industry chamber Assocham said on Sunday, citing its study. By 2024, food processing sector is expected to employ nine million people in India and expected to generate about 8,000 direct and 80,000 indirect jobs in the state, the Assocham-Grant Thornton joint study on ‘Food Retail: Investment: Infrastructure’ noted.
Islamic extremists denounce Somalia’s new president
A commander of Somalia’s Islamic extremist rebels denounced said the country’s recent election of a new president and vowed to continue fighting the government, the first official comment from al-Shabab since the president’s election earlier this month. In an audio message released by al-Shabab’s radio arm Sunday, Sheikh Hassan Yaqub, a senior commander of the extremist group, called Somalia’s new president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed an “apostate” and warned Somalis against supporting him.
Israeli leader lauds ‘new day’ in relations with Trump’s US
Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet Sunday that last week’s meeting with Trump in Washington was “historic” and strengthened the two countries’ longtime alliance. After eight years of testy ties with Barack Obama, Netanyahu seems to be relishing Trump’s warm embrace.
Europeans wonder if Trump will act on Pence’s reassurances
United States Vice President Mike Pence, left and Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, talk prior to their meeting during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. America’s commitment to NATO is “unwavering,” Pence said Saturday, reassuring allies about the direction the Trump administration might take but leaving open questions about where Washington saw its relationship with the European Union and other international organizations.
More than five crore saplings planted in Himachal
Shimla, Feb 19 – More than five crore saplings were planted on 48,000 hectares in the four years in Himachal Pradesh, resulting in increase in forest cover, the government said on Sunday. The plantation included 1.35 crore medicinal plants.
China suspends coal imports from North Korea over missiles
China on Sunday began a suspension of all coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year as it increases pressure on its communist neighbor to give up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The ban is in line with U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed in November in response to North Korea’s fifth nuclear test two months earlier, the Commerce Ministry said in an online statement Saturday.
Finding poison in N. Korea attack may be hardest part
Speculation that the estranged half broth… . FILE – This combination of file photos shows Kim Jong Nam, left, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in Narita, Japan, on May 4, 2001, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on M… .
Voters in Ecuador set to choose between change, continuity
Ecuadoreans will elect a new president, vice-president and National Ass… . Guillermo Lasso, presidential candidate for the party Creando Oportunidades, CREO, speaks to supporters during a campaign event in Quito, Ecuador, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017.
Murder investigation launched after man is shot dead in Sheffield street
Police at the scene in Daniel Hill, Sheffield after a man was found with a suspected gunshot wound to his chest. The young victim was said to have been shot in the chest while on his way to a family celebration near the Upperthorpe area of the city .
Roads closed, trains changed
Road closures at level crossings across the Hunter Valley rail network will take effect later this week as part of a $20 million renewal program by Australian Rail Track Corporation . The million-dollar maintenance includes upgrading track, ballast, sleepers, structures like bridges, culverts and level crossings between Kooragang, Ulan and Narrabri from February 21-24.
Cuban graffiti artist makes his mark in Havana
The whimsical designs of the graffiti artist with the signature Yulier P. began to appear randomly on walls around Havana three years ago. The first ones were large abstract renderings of rabbits, their floppy ears outlined in black against chipped concrete.
What President Trump inherited
“I own nothing in Russia, I have no loans in Russia, I don’t have any deals in Russia”, Trump said. President Trump embraces white identity politics, which excludes Jews, Hispanics, Muslims, African-Americans, Asians -anyone who is not of Northern European heritage, white and Christian.
Sara Singh murder: CBI files chargesheet against husband Aman Mani Tripathi
The CBI has filed chargesheet against Uttar Pradesh politician Amanmani Tripathi stating that he killed his wife, Sara Singh, by strangulating her and tried to pass it off as a auto mishap. “During investigation, it was found that after her marriage with accused, Smt”.
Iraqi forces launch push to retake western Mosul from IS
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the operation early Sunday morning on state television, saying government forces were moving to “liberate the people of Mosul from Daesh oppression forever”, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Southwest of Mosul, near the city’s IS-held airport, plumes of smoke were seen rising into the sky as coalition aircraft bombed militant positions.
KVH Introduces Affordable and Highly Reliable Navigation Solution for Light Military Vehicles
KVH Industries, Inc., , is introducing the TACNAV Light/GPS navigation solution today, at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference , in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Based on KVH’s successful line of tactical navigation systems, TACNAV Light/GPS features a newly designed sensor mast with embedded GPS, and utilizes KVH’s new TACNAV Moving Map Display and its proven Universal Multilingual Display .
Voters in Ecuador set to choose between change, continuity QUITO,…
We collect zip code so that we may deliver news, weather, special offers and other content related to your specific geographic area. We have sent a confirmation email to {* data_emailAddress *}.
.com | Uganda seizes ton of ivory, arrests 2 West African suspects
Ugandan authorities seized a ton of illegal ivory and arrested three west Africans they believe were plotting to ship it abroad, an official said Saturday. The seizure happened late Friday at an “opulent, expansive house” in a suburb of the capital, Kampala, where law enforcement officials had been monitoring the West Africans for several weeks, said Gessa Simplicious, a spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
.com | Cyclone Dineo is still dangerous
The Mozambican government deployed a team to assess the damage in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Dineo this week as mop-up operations began in earnest. At least 116 government buildings, including hospitals, had their roofs blown off and more than 170 000 people were affected when strong winds and downpours swept through the cities of Inhambane and Maxixe, as well the districts of Morrumbene, Massinga, Jangano, Inharrime, Panda, Vilankulo, Funhalonso, Mabote and Homoine.
Tourism in the north of Cyprus stagnates
A report on the average occupancy percentage of tourist resorts for 2016 shows the average percentage of the occupancy of tourist resorts reached 48.6%, recording a drop of 0.4% from 2015. The data was released in a report issued by the Turkish Cypriot tourism planning office.
Kyprianou: Keep focused on the peace process
By Annie Charalambous As a crisis over a controversial vote in parliament jeopardises the future of the UN-brokered Cyprus talks, Opposition Akel warns of possible startling developments after April’s referendum in Turkey. Left-wing Akel leader Andros Kyprianou also called on President Nicos Anastasiades and ruling right-wing Disy to keep their eyes on the fragile peace process rather than on the 2018 presidential election.
Iraqi forces begin advancing on Mosul
Iraqi planes dropped millions of leaflets on the western side of Mosul warning residents that the battle to dislodge Islamic State is imminent as troops began moving in their direction, the Defence Ministry has stated. The militants are essentially under siege in western Mosul, along with an estimated 650,000 civilians, after US-backed forces surrounding the city forced them from the east in the first phase of an offensive that concluded last month.