AP Top Headlines at 11:51 p.m. EDT
The war in Ukraine and its visiting president take center stage at the United Nations this week
The war in Ukraine and its visiting president take center stage at the United Nations this week
Poland said Wednesday it will no longer arm Ukraine and instead focus on its own defense, as the two allies clashed at a key moment in Kyiv's fightback against invasion by Russia."We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons," Morawiecki said.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad briefed the Kedah government yesterday on his econ...
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Perikatan Nasional’s Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz has reportedly denied vap...
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 21 — The rates for broadband services are expected to fall significantly soon after the Malaysian Commun...
Ukraine leader plans to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as Republicans debate aid as part of funding talks to avoid 30 September government shutdown
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 21 — The government’s Central Database Hub (Padu) initiative, which will be used to implement targeted s...
KUCHING, Sept 20 — Human rights activist Peter John Jaban today questioned the need for children born to mixed marriages...
Greene shared nude images of Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, during a hearing in July
Lawmakers belonging to Singapore’s ruling party rejected a motion brought by the opposition to suspend Transport Minister S. Iswaran as a member of Parliament pending an ongoing corruption probe.
UN says Israeli official wasn’t ‘detained,’ despite reports
STORY: New Delhi laid down a warning on Wednesday to Indian nationals in Canada - and in particular - hundreds of thousands of students:Exercise "utmost caution."The advisory marks another sign of unraveling ties between the two countries in an escalating dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader.Ottawa insists Canada is safe.The travel advisory follows an earlier tit-for-tat expelling of diplomats.JUSTIN TRUDEAU: "...a Canadian on Canadian soil..."Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada is investigating “credible allegations” that Indian government agents were involved in the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.India categorically rejects the assertions.It labelled Nijjar a terrorist years ago.On Wednesday, India’s main opposition Congress party endorsed the government's position.SHASHI THAROOR: "We're seeing a tit-for-tat on both sides..."Its leader Shashi Tharoor says Canada's going public has put the countries' relationship in jeopardy: "I think it is unfortunate that Canada chose such a public route." // "Going public, making a statement in parliament and so on was very unfortunate."Meanwhile, in Punjab's holy city of Amritsar some Sikhs called for clarity on the issue - and calm."For a solution they need to sit and talk - basically that's the only way..." said this retired businessman.Protests unfolded among Sikhs in neighboring Pakistan... with protesters calling for India to be held to account.The White House says it's "deeply concerned" about the allegations and is encouraging India to cooperate in any investigation.There’s not much support left for the insurgency in India, but small groups of Sikhs in Australia, Britain, Canada and the U.S. still support the separatist demand.New Delhi has long urged Canada to act against it.As for the killing, Canadian officials have not elaborated on why they think India is involved.
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 20 — Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) has decided to withdraw its suit against the federal government for...
The crash of an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in South Carolina over the weekend has raised numerous questions about what prompted the pilot to eject and how the $100 million warplane was able to keep flying pilotless for 60 miles (100 kilometers) before crashing. A U.S. Marine Corps pilot was flying a single-seat F-35B fighter jet on Sunday when the pilot experienced a malfunction and was “forced to eject,” a Marine Corps official who was not authorized to speak publicly said on condition of anonymity. The aircraft was only at an altitude of about 1,000 feet (300 meters) and only about a mile (less than 2 kilometers) north of Charleston International Airport, in a populated area that led the pilot to parachute into a residential backyard.
STORY: Chinese sovereign lending to Africa fell to the lowest level in nearly two decades, according to data from Boston University's Global China Initiative. The figures underscore Beijing's shift away from a decades-long big ticket infrastructure spree on the continent.The drop in lending comes as several African nations struggle with debt crises. China's own economy is also facing headwinds. Africa has been a focus of President Xi Jinping's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. It was launched in 2013 to recreate the ancient Silk Road and extend China's geopolitical and economic influence through a global infrastructure development push. Boston University's Chinese Loans to Africa Database estimates Chinese lenders provided $170 billion to Africa from 2000 to 2022.But lending has declined sharply since a 2016 peak. Nine loans totalling $994 million were agreed last year, marking the lowest level of Chinese lending since 2004.African governments largely welcomed Chinese lending and infrastructure projects. But Western critics have accused Beijing of saddling poor nations with unsustainable debt. Zambia - a major Chinese borrower - became the first African country to default during the global health crisis in late 2020. Other governments, including Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia, are also struggling.China, meanwhile, is facing its own problems at home. Policymakers are struggling to revive growth amid persistent weakness in the crucial property industry, a faltering currency and flagging global demand for its manufactured goods.However, the decline in loans does not necessarily mean an end of Chinese engagement in Africa. The Boston University analysis found trends including fewer loans over $500 million and more focus on social and environmental impacts. That appeared to reflect China's stated push towards a more high-quality, greener Belt and Road Initiative.
James Johnson, who previously ran polling for Downing Street, wrote on X that the latest survey marked an 'utterly miserable week of polling for the Conservatives'.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday began his first official trip to China in almost two decades, with Beijing saying the visit will take ties to a "new level" as the Arab leader seeks financial support to help rebuild his devastated country."We believe that President Bashar al-Assad's visit will further deepen mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries," she added.
It was a moment the diplomatic world was watching for — but didn't get. In the end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov avoided staring each other down Wednesday across the U.N. Security Council's famous horseshoe-shaped table. Zelenskyy left before Lavrov arrived.
STORY: Five Americans freed from Iran made an emotional return to the United States on Tuesday (September 19), ending what one family member called a "nightmare." It comes a day after they were swapped for five Iranians held in the U.S., and $6 billion worth of Iranian funds were unfrozen.After disembarking, the returning detainees were embraced by family and friends with smiles and laughter.Babak Namazi spoke with his arm around his returning brother, Siamak at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. “This is the real hero of this story, surviving eight years of brutal treatments but never, never losing hope and showing what happens when you're hopeful, when you fight. Why am I saying this here? It's over. I'm done."“We are so grateful. It's just you feel like it's a dream. The nightmare is finally over. I've dreamt about this moment, and each time I've woken up and just been in disbelief, like, why am I dreaming? These dreams are not happening again.”The other U.S.-Iranian dual citizens include Emad Sharqi and Morad Tahbaz.Two of those returning have not been publicly identified.The swap was agreed on Monday following months of Qatar-mediated talks, after funds that had been blocked in South Korea were wired to banks in Doha.After the transfer, the five U.S. prisoners took off on a Qatari plane from Tehran. Meanwhile, two of the five Iranian detainees landed in Doha, also on their way home. Reza Sarhangpour, now back in Iran, was one of them. "Begging diplomacy in front of America has never worked, and this dignified method (prisoners swap) has made us (Iran's nation) proud."Three Iranians chose not to go to back to Iran.The deal removes a point of friction between the U.S. and Iran.But it is unclear whether it will bring the two adversaries, which have been at odds for 40 years, closer on any other issues. Major points of contention include Iran's nuclear program and its backing for regional militias, U.S. military presence in the Gulf, and U.S. sanctions.U.S. President Joe Biden, a democrat who welcomed the return of the prisoners in a statement, has faced criticism from Republicans over the deal. Some say the transfer of the $6 billion could encourage Iran to detain more U.S. citizens.But Biden aides say the money belongs to Iran, and is being transferred to restricted Qatari accounts.Doha says it will monitor the cash to ensure Iran spends the money on humanitarian goods, not items under U.S. sanctions.
Hong Kong’s half-century reign as the world’s freest economy has ended, according to the most recent rankings compiled by a Canadian think tank that cited eroding judicial independence as one factor.
KUCHING, Sept 20 — The Sarawak Eurasian Association applauds the overall impact of the Interpretation (Amendment) Ordina...