Politics

  Washington / AFP The Washington Post on Thursday became the latest US newspaper to emphatically endorse Hillary Clinton for the White House, saying it was swayed as much by her competence as by the alarming specter of a Donald Trump presidency. “Hillary Clinton has the potential to be an excellent president of the United States, and we endorse her ...

  London / AFP The battle over Brexit reached the High Court on Thursday in a legal challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May’s right to start negotiations for Britain to leave the EU without a vote in parliament. The move could delay Brexit if successful and set up an unprecedented constitutional face-off between the courts and the government. It was ...

  The Hague / AFP The Dutch government is mulling a new law to give elderly people who are not sick the legal right to assisted suicide if they feel their lives are “complete”. “People who believe after deep reflection that they have completed their lives, should be able under strict conditions to end their lives in the dignified manner ...

  Glasgow / AFP Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday unveiled plans for a new independence referendum in case her demands for more autonomy and for Scotland to stay in Europe’s single market are not met. Sturgeon said she would publish a draft referendum bill next week, accusing the British government of pushing for a “hard Brexit” and stirring ...

  Dubai / AP The US military directly targeted Yemen’s Houthi rebels for the first time on Thursday, hitting radar sites controlled by the insurgents after US warships came under missile attacks twice in four days. The Iran-backed rebels have denied carrying out the attacks, which saw missiles fired at US warships in the Red Sea on Sunday and Wednesday ...

  United Nations / AFP The UN General Assembly on Thursday formally appointed Antonio Guterres as the new secretary-general of the United Nations, replacing Ban Ki-moon. The 193 member states adopted by acclamation a resolution appointing the former prime minister of Portugal for a five-year term beginning January 1. The former prime minister of Portugal who also served as UN refugee ...

  United Nations / AFP The United Nations is enlisting the super-powers of Wonder Woman for a new campaign to empower women and girls. The comic and television series heroine will be officially designated as the UN honorary ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls during a ceremony attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on October 21. DC Entertainment President ...

  Beirut / AFP Russian and Syrian warplanes pounded Aleppo again on Thursday after two days of heavy bombardment that killed more than 70 civilians, as world powers prepared for last-ditch weekend talks on a ceasefire. More than 20 air strikes hit the rebel-controlled east at dawn on Thursday, killing seven civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group ...

  Baghdad / AFP The Iraqi foreign ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador on Thursday to protest the continued presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq without Baghdad’s permission, a ministry spokesman said. Turkish troops are deployed in the Bashiqa area near the extremist-held city of Mosul, and Turkey’s prime minister has said that they will stay despite Baghdad’s demands that ...

  Bangui / AFP Thirty people were killed and 57 hurt when fighters from a militia group attacked civilians and clashed with UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic, the UN mission said on Thursday. Twelve militia fighters were killed by UN troops in the clashes on Wednesday. The violence in the central market town of Kaga Bandoro began when a ...