International

The United States unveiled a raft of new rights-abuse sanctions Friday on senior officials and entities in eight countries, with targets ranging from a Chinese firm specializing in facial recognition technology to a giant cartoon studio in North Korea. Timed for International Human Rights Day and supported in part by Britain and Canada, the sanctions […]

Nicaragua switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China on Thursday in a diplomatic coup for Beijing as it seeks to isolate the democratic island it has vowed to one day seize. The announcement now leaves Taiwan with just 14 diplomatic allies but comes as Taipei strengthens ties with multiple unofficial Western friends including the United […]

France is still considering along with other EU countries its position on joining a diplomatic boycott by Western allies of the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, an official said Thursday, after a minister indicated French officials would be present. Asked about a boycott announced by the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada, Education and Sports Minister […]

China warned Western nations on Thursday that they would “pay the price” for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as a French minister said they would not be joining the US-backed effort. Washington unveiled its decision not to send a diplomatic delegation earlier in the week, saying it was prompted by widespread […]

Britain, Canada and Australia on Wednesday joined the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics in February, prompted by what the Western allies argue are widespread rights abuses by China. Britain will not send ministers to the Winter Games in the Chinese capital, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament, as discord over a […]

Australia will not send officials to the upcoming winter Olympics in Beijing, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Wednesday, joining a US diplomatic boycott of the event. Canberra’s decision comes amid “disagreement” with China over a slew of issues, from Australia’s foreign interference laws to a recent decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, Morrison said. He also […]

By Thomas URBAIN The Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing’s announcement that it will delist its shares from the New York Stock Exchange marks the end of a cushy relationship between Wall Street and Chinese tech giants, who are under siege from authorities in Beijing and regulators in America.Only five months transpired between Didi’s going public […]

Two hippos in a Belgian zoo have tested positive for Covid-19, their keepers announced Friday, stressing that the giant animals do not appear to be in danger. The infections at Antwerp Zoo are not the first time that zoo animals have tested positive during the pandemic, but most cases are thought to have been in […]

By Alberto PEÑA Chile’s parliament is set to approve a long-awaited bill to legalize same-sex marriage Tuesday, joining just a handful of countries in majority Catholic Latin America with similar laws.The bill will also enable married same-sex couples to adopt children.Chile, which legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015, has been awaiting this bill since 2017, […]

The American dictionary of reference Merriam-Webster on Monday revealed “vaccine” to be its word of the year for 2021, reflecting both the hopes and deep divisions sparked by vaccination as the world wrestled with year two of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The word vaccine was about much more than medicine in 2021,” the dictionary — which […]

It looks like a normal car but the white taxi by the kerb has nobody driving it, and communicates with customers digitally to obtain directions and take payment. Beijing this week approved its first autonomous taxis for commercial use, bringing dozens of the so-called “robotaxis” to the streets of the Chinese capital. The vehicles can […]

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s chosen successor on Tuesday announced his withdrawal from the 2022 presidential race, saying it was “not yet my time”. Senator Christopher Go, a close aide to the president, entered the contest for the country’s highest office two days before the November 15 deadline, after previously registering for the vice presidential race. […]