The science behind the powerful earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
SINGAPORE -A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 centred in the Sagaing region near the Myanmar city of Mandalay caused extensive damage in that country and also shook neighbouring Thailand on Friday. HOW VULNERABLE IS MYANMAR TO EARTHQUAKES? Myanmar lies on…
U.S. logistics firm settles claims it helped Chinese companies ship fentanyl chemicals
U.S. shipping and logistics company IMC Pro International has agreed to pay $400,000 to the U.S. government to settle allegations that it helped Chinese chemical companies ship fentanyl-making chemicals to the United States, according to U.S. authorities. The deal was…
South Sudan government says arrested Vice President Machar will be investigated
NAIROBI -South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar is under arrest and will be investigated, the country’s information minister said on Friday, raising the risk that the rift between Machar and President Salva Kiir could plunge the nation back into…
Chemical weapons inspectors granted access to Assad-era sites in Syria, say sources
AMSTERDAM – Chemical weapons inspectors have been taken by Syria’s caretaker authorities to previously unseen production and storage locations dating from the rule of Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled three months ago, sources said on Friday. A team from the…
Myanmar shadow government says 12 killed in quake, urgent international help needed
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has killed at least 12 people and urgent international assistance is needed, the war-torn country’s shadow foreign minister told Reuters on Friday. Zin Mar Aung, the top diplomat of the parallel National Unity Government,…
World Court to hear Sudan genocide case against United Arab Emirates
THE HAGUE – The World Court said on Friday it would hear a case brought by Sudan demanding emergency measures against the United Arab Emirates and accusing the Gulf state of violating obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming paramilitary…
UN’s WFP says 58 million face hunger crisis after huge shortfall in aid
ROME – The U.N. World Food Programme warned on Friday that 58 million people were at risk of extreme hunger or starvation unless urgent funding for food aid is secured, after drastic shortfalls from donors so far this year, including…
Tin prices jump after earthquake hits Myanmar
LONDON – Tin prices hit two-week highs in London on Friday as speculators bet that an earthquake that rocked major producer Myanmar could delay a restart of production in its main mining region. Benchmark tin on the London Metal Exchange…
China’s Xi urges global CEOs to protect trade as Trump tariffs loom
BEIJING -China’s President Xi Jinping urged a gathering of multinational CEOs on Friday to protect global industry and supply chains, as Beijing seeks to assuage foreign firms’ concerns over the Chinese economy’s health amid threats of more U.S. tariffs. Beijing…
Ukrainian gas firm reports damage from Russian strike amid energy ceasefire
KYIV -A Russian drone attack has damaged warehouses owned by Ukraine’s state gas producer in the central region of Poltava during a truce on energy strikes, officials said on Friday, while the company said its gas production facilities had been…
China will resolutely respond to US reciprocal tariffs, state media says
BEIJING -China will take resolute countermeasures if the United States harm the country’s interests with its upcoming reciprocal tariffs, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on Friday. If the U.S. wants to discuss cooperation with…
Iran speaker says US bases will be struck if Trump attacks Iran
Tehran would strike U.S. bases in the region if Washington follows through on its warning of military consequences for Iran in the absence of a new nuclear deal, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said on Friday. U.S. President Donald…
Canada’s GDP for January expands by 0.4% as tariff impact looms
OTTAWA -Canada’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 0.4% on a monthly basis in January as economic activity continued the momentum of the last few of months, data showed on Friday. Economists said part of the growth was helped by an…
Rio Tinto in talks with Congo to develop lithium deposit, Bloomberg News reports
Rio Tinto has held talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo about developing one of the world’s biggest hard rock lithium deposits, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The discussions, which are in the preliminary…
U.S. equity funds see biggest weekly inflows since November
U.S. equity funds witnessed robust demand in the week through March 26 as signals of a more measured tariff approach from the Trump administration helped shift investor focus back to prospects of growth in corporate earnings. Investors acquired U.S. equity…
Ukraine working to ensure minerals deal with US reflects its interests, official says
Ukraine is working to ensure that a minerals deal with the U.S. reflects all its interests and is in a spirit of strategic partnership, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Friday. “Given the importance of the agreement, it…
US says it expects Lebanese government to disarm militant groups
WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department said on Friday Israel was defending itself from rocket attacks that came from Lebanon and that it was incumbent upon the Lebanese government to disarm militant groups such as Hezbollah. The comment from a…
CK Hutchison will not sign deal to sell strategic Panama ports next week, sources say
Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison will not sign a deal next week to sell its two port operations near the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led group, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, as pressure mounted from Beijing. China’s…
Venezuela’s Maduro urges UN to back release of migrants
CARACAS – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this week spoke to the United Nations’ Secretary General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to urge UN support for the release of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported by the…
Heartthrob actor Richard Chamberlain, star of ‘Thorn Birds’, dies aged 90
NEW YORK – Richard Chamberlain, the Emmy-nominated actor and 1960s heartthrob who rocketed to fame in the TV medical drama “Dr. Kildare” and starred in the mini-series “Shogun” and “The Thorn Birds” has died at the age of 90, publicist…