Iran shows military might amid growing regional tensions

  Tehran/ AFP Iran showed off missiles, warplanes, tanks and marching troops on Wednesday in a display of military strength in the face of growing regional tensions. The Islamic republic used the 36th anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war to parade arms including 16 ballistic missiles through Tehran. A new missile with multiple warheads, called Zolfaghar, was also on ...

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Israeli guards shoot unarmed Palestinian girl

  Jerusalem / AFP Israeli guards shot and wounded an unarmed 13-year-old Palestinian girl on Wednesday after she did not stop at a checkpoint, officials said, the latest incident in an upsurge of violence. The Israeli defence ministry said the girl was not carrying a weapon. The incident occurred at a checkpoint near the Israeli settlement of Alfei Menashe and the ...

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Sisi urges Israel to make history with peace

  United Nations / AFP Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi urged Israel to “write a bright page” in Middle East history and make peace with the Palestinians. Speaking at the United Nations, Sisi said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was at “the core of regional instability” and called for a settlement based on a two-state solution leading to a Palestinian state. “Permit ...

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Egypt state TV fires news chief over Sisi interview gaffe

  Cairo / AFP Egyptian state television said on Wednesday it had sacked its head of news after an old interview with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi was screened in error. Sisi, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly, was interviewed by the American PBS network for a second consecutive year. Instead of broadcasting the new interview on ...

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Sarkozy, Juppe seek nomination that could decide French election

  PARIS / AFP France’s presidential race started in earnest on Wednesday as seven rightwing candidates including ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy were confirmed to contest a November primary, with the nominee seen as the likely winner of next year’s election. The stakes are high with polls showing that the winner of a duel between the two leading candidates from the Republicans ...

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Paris climate accord closer after UN meet

  United Nations / AFP The landmark Paris agreement on climate change moved closer to reality on Wednesday after 31 countries joined during the United Nations General Assembly. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced confidence that the accord, through which countries commit to take action to stem the planet’s rising temperatures, would come into force by the end of the year. ...

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Iraqi forces to launch assault on Mosul in Oct

  Washington / AFP Iraqi security forces will be ready by next month for an assault on the IS stronghold of Mosul, the top general in the US military said on Wednesday. “We assess today that the Iraqis will have in early October all the forces marshaled, trained, fielded, equipped that are necessary for operations in Mosul,” General Joe Dunford, ...

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USA spying on NAM summit: Venezuela

  Caracas / AFP Venezuela accused the United States of spying on a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit it recently hosted, saying Venezuelan fighter jets had intercepted a US surveillance plane and forced it to turn back. President Nicolas Maduro’s latest beef with Washington comes after Venezuela hosted leaders from the 120-member group on the Caribbean island of Margarita last weekend, ...

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Obama urges 50 nations to take in 360,000 refugees

  United Nations / AFP US President Barack Obama urged countries to “welcome the stranger in our midst” at a summit that drew pledges from 50 countries to take in 360,000 refugees. Speaking at a US-led refugee summit at the United Nations, Obama praised Germany and Canada among other countries for opening up their doors to those fleeing the war ...

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BoJ overhauls policy to boost inflation

  Tokyo / AFP Japan’s central bank on Wednesday unveiled a surprise overhaul of monetary policy, promising to redouble attempts to fuel inflation and kickstart the torpid economy. After a hotly anticipated meeting, the Bank of Japan said it would set a target for 10-year government bond yields to try to push them higher, while delaying a further cut in ...

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