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The solo protest of Bangladeshi hunger striker Mahbubul Haque Shipon is hard to spot among the six other demonstrations under way on the same busy thoroughfare.Shipon’s country is emerging from a summer of upheaval after student protests sparked a revolution, culminating in autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina’s August ouster.Hasina’s government imposed draconian restrictions on public assembly …

Revolution over but more protests than ever in Bangladesh Read More »

Questions — and, for some, outrage — intensified over several of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks Friday, as Washington awaits announcements for more major positions, including the FBI and Treasury chiefs.Trump has vowed to dismantle the liberal “deep state” he says is running Washington and is banking on his decisive victory — and triumph for …

Trump pressures US Senate with divisive cabinet picks Read More »

Former US vice president Al Gore told AFP Friday it was “absurd” for petrostates such as Azerbaijan to host UN climate talks, saying the selection process should be overhauled.Mukhtar Babayev, a former oil executive who now serves as Azerbaijan’s ecology minister, is chairing the COP29 talks in Baku while the country’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, caused …

Gore says ‘absurd’ to hold UN climate talks in petrostates Read More »

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Germany’s Olaf Scholz on Friday of playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin after the chancellor spoke by phone to the Kremlin chief for the first time in almost two years.In the call, Scholz “condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end …

Ukraine slams Scholz after first call with Putin in two years Read More »

US President Joe Biden and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday warned of turbulent times ahead, in remarks at an Asia-Pacific economic summit in Lima overshadowed by Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House. The men, who will hold their last, official face-to-face Saturday, warned separately of choppy waters as the world braces for the …

At summit under Trump shadow, Xi and Biden signal turbulence ahead Read More »

Lebanese officials were reviewing on Friday a US truce proposal in the Israel-Hezbollah war as Hamas said it was ready for a ceasefire on Israel’s other front, in Gaza.Israel has been at war against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon since late September, after a year of relatively low-level cross border exchanges which Hezbollah said were in …

Lebanon said studying US truce plan for Israel-Hezbollah war Read More »

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Friday the world was entering an era of harmful “protectionism,” in remarks to an Asia-Pacific summit in Lima overshadowed by fears of new trade wars under Donald Trump.On the eve of what will be his final official face-to-face with outgoing US President Joe Biden, Xi raised concern about “spreading unilateralism …

Xi warns against ‘protectionism’ at APEC summit under Trump cloud Read More »

US President Joe Biden joined Asia-Pacific leaders for a summit on economic cooperation Friday in Lima, where he is set to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping under a cloud of uncertainty cast by Donald Trump’s election victory.Xi — who was not present for Friday’s opening of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit — is scheduled …

Xi, Biden at Asia-Pacific summit under Trump trade war cloud Read More »

The head of the Spanish region devastated by the country’s deadliest floods in decades admitted to “mistakes” and apologised on Friday but rebuffed calls for his resignation.The October 29 disaster claimed 224 lives nationwide — 216 in the eastern Valencia region — wrecked infrastructure, gutted buildings and submerged fields in damage costing tens of billions …

Leader of Spain flood region admits ‘mistakes’ Read More »

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, in the first call between the leaders in almost two years.In the call, Scholz “condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end it and withdraw troops”, the chancellor’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit …

Scholz urges Ukraine talks in first call with Putin since 2022 Read More »