Audio is released of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto's wife, asking Islamic State militants to spare her husband's life. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
China's foreign ministry on Thursday welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China as tensions rise between the two countries over global trade, regional conflicts and the Russia-Ukraine war. Blinken will depart on April 23 for a four-day trip to China, where he will meet with senior Chinese officials amid heightening tensions, including over China's alignment with Russia and aggressive moves against the Philippines in the South China Sea, Politico reported.
Asian shares advanced on Thursday even after sinking technology stocks sent Wall Street lower in the S&P 500's worse losing streak since the start of the year. U.S. futures were lower, while oil prices gained.
Social media platform X said Thursday it would work with Pakistan's government "to understand its concerns" after authorities insisted an ongoing two-month ban was based on security grounds."We continue to work with the Pakistani Government to understand their concerns," X's Global Government Affairs team posted, in their first comments since the site was disrupted.
Research from BMO Capital Markets shows stocks have actually performed better under higher interest rate regimes over the past three decades.
A leading contender to become the Solomon Islands' next prime minister has vowed to rip up a security pact with China, as the Pacific nation began counting votes Thursday in a pivotal general election."We might not know what is going to happen until a good two or three weeks after the election," Pacific watcher Graeme Smith from Australian National University told AFP in the lead-up to voting day.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz became the latest European leader to leave China with promises to talk but little more. The Chinese statements on his meetings in Beijing this week didn't appear to give ground on the issues that divide the EU and China. There is some reason for hope in Europe.
Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.- Tsunami warning - Authorities also warned of a possible tsunami as a result of the eruptions.
Stock markets in Asia and Europe rose Thursday with traders mulling the outlook for US interest rates as Federal Reserve officials questioned the need for a cut anytime soon.Comments from Fed officials reinforced the view that sticky inflation and a resilient US economy will keep the bank from easing monetary policy anytime soon.
Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Mount Ruang on the northern side of Sulawesi Island had at least five large eruptions Wednesday, causing the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation to issue its highest level alert, indicating an active eruption. An international airport in Manado city was temporarily closed Thursday as volcanic ash was spewed into the air.
Little, says Ubels, could be more under threat. As Europe seeks to address the threat of climate change, it's imposing more rules on farmers like Ubels. Mainstream political parties failed to act on farmers’ complaints for decades, Ubels says.
Members of Ghana's LGBT community and activists are waiting to see whether the West African country's president will sign into law a bill that would further restrict their rights and likely worsen the persecution many face. Kwame, a gay man who spoke to Reuters on the condition his real name was not used, already bears the scars of Ghana's widespread intolerance of homosexuality. "Imagine if the bill becomes law," he said, fearing the crackdown would embolden those who feel they can target LGBT people with impunity, "empowering ... people to be murderous."
Counting was underway on Thursday in the Solomon Islands after a national election a day earlier, although electoral officials said they were searching for a larger venue in the Pacific Island capital Honiara to count votes. The parliamentary election is the first since Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing. The election outcome will be closely watched by the United States, China and Australia for its potential impact on regional security.
Law enforcement agencies in at least four states have reported 911 service interruptions Wednesday evening, and service was later restored in some areas.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday mischaracterized the circumstances of his uncle's death during World War II as he lambasted former President Donald Trump's comments about the military.
The United Arab Emirates struggled Thursday to recover from the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation, as its main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads. Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, allowed global carriers on Thursday morning to again fly into Terminal 1 at the airfield. “Flights continue to be delayed and disrupted, so we urge you to only come to Terminal 1 if you have a confirmed booking,” the airport said on the social platform X.
A Los Angeles Police Department officer will not face criminal charges in the 2021 fatal shooting of a 14-year-old girl killed inside a department store when police fired at a man suspected of attacking a woman, California prosecutors said Wednesday.
Apple Inc plans to invest more than $250 million to expand its regional campus or operations in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, according to a company statement dated April 17. Two buildings acquired in 2022, located across from Apple's existing offices, will undergo a major upgrade, the U.S. technology giant said. "Singapore is truly a one-of-a-kind place, and we are proud of the connection we've built with this dynamic community of creators, learners, and dreamers," Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, said in a statement.
The heavy debt weighing on developing countries can be alleviated through readily available measures, the UN's trade and development chief said, pleading for bold international action.There have been numerous efforts over the decades to resolve debt problems weighing on poor countries, but Grynspan said they have been so slow and complicated that they often act as a "deterrent".
Rescuers were removing mountains of rubble on Thursday from the site of a lethal Russian missile strike on Ukraine's historic city of Chernigiv, where at least 18 people were killed in an attack that has prompted fresh pleas for allies to boost Kyiv's overstretched air defence systems.The official death toll rose to 18 as of Thursday morning, with 77 people -- including four children -- injured, according to Ukraine's emergency services department.
The European Union's economy is falling further behind China and the United States, a major headache that will dominate leaders' talks on Thursday as they discuss how to stem the bloc's economic decline and bounce back.The EU has been put further on the back foot as China and the United States have ploughed billions of dollars of state aid to prop up their critical industries.
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